Toasted Almond Pecan Scones

{printable recipe here}
We've had a busy weekend and I wasn't sure I woul get to making this recipe but I knew I should. So this morning I opened up the fridge, armed myself with a stick of butter and my container of eggs. I opened up the cookbook and realized I did not have enough nuts, didn't have any heavy cream, didn't have any nerve to head to the grocery store with my kids after we'd spent all weekend in the car with Baby Strawberry screaming her head off.

 

Thankfully, Little Miss is a whole milk addict and we always have plenty of that on hand, so I just subbed out the cream for the delicious whole milk, added some pecans to my toasted almonds, and figured the butter would make up any difference. This is the first batch of scones I've made that were actually light and fluffy and delicious. To say I'm a perfectionist is, well, kind of like saying it's hot in Arizona. I have a hard time not mixing in every bit of flour and making sure every piece of butter is evenly incorporated. But I tried my OCD best not to overdo it and they turned out great (finally!) Thanks Mike for the fun recipe choice (see the real recipe on his blog and see the rest of the scones from the TWD group here!)

 

Toasted Almond Pecan Scones
from Anne Strawberry
adapted from Baking by Dorie Greenspan
{printable recipe here}

1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup pecans
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk (5/8 cup)
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cup flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cube of butter (1/2 cup or 8 tablespoons), cut into small pieces
1/4 cup sliced almonds (optional- for garnish)

In a medium saute pan, toast the nuts for five or ten minutes over medium heat, until fragrant (watch them closely!) Take half the nuts and roughly chop. Take the rest and combine with the sugar in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Blend egg, milk, and extracts (I like to use a glass measuring cup and a fork). In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, powder, salt, and pureed nuts. Add the chopped butter and, using your fingertips, cut and blend the butter into the dry ingredients, until it's all pebbly and well mixed (but the pieces will be different sizes, oatmeal to peas, and that's just fine). Pour over the wet ingredients and lightly mix together with a fork or spatula, being careful to be gentle. Turn the dough onto a floured board, pat out with your hands until about 3/4 inch thick and slice up or cut out with a biscuit cutter. I got twenty five using my 2 inch circle cutter. Place on a baking sheet with about 1/2 inch between each. Garnish with sliced almonds if desired.

Bake for 20- 22 minutes until slightly golden brown. Brush with melted butter as soon as they come out of the oven and allow to slightly cool before serving with jam and butter.