Blustery Day in the South

I am SUCH a Texas girl!  I love the summer and hate the winter.  Well, hate is a strong word, but I certainly don't like the winter cold.  However, there are some things I like about a cold, windy day even in Texas.  I spent the morning working at the church helping catalog books for the library, then I headed home.  All I could think about was getting back to my warm, comfortable home.  After lunch I decided the perfect thing to do on this cold day would be make some cream scones, a nice hot pot of tea, and sit down with a good book.  So off I went to the kitchen.......

Cream Scones

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3 Tbsp. Sugar

2/1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1/2 cup cold unsalted butter

1/3 cup dried currants  (I use 1/2 fresh chopped cranberries)

1 egg

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 egg

1Tbsp. water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt, mixing well.  Slice butter into 8 pieces, cut into flour mixture with a pastry blender or 2 knives until butter is pea size.  Stir in currents.  In a small bowl, beat eggs slightly with a fork, stir in cream and vanilla.  Pour cream mixture all at once into flour mixture, stirring to form a soft dough.  Do not over mix.  Turn dough onto a lightly floured pastry cloth or counter and knead a few times until smooth.  Roll dough to a 3/4 inch thickness (I don't use a roller just my hand)  Cut with a 2 1/4" biscuit cutter and place scones on a lightly greased cookie sheet.  Beat remaining egg and water in a small bowl to form an egg wash.  Brush mixture over tops of scones and bake at 375 degrees for 15-17 min or until they are puffed and golden.

Next....the proper pot of Tea

Put your kettle on and boil water, pour a little boiling water into your tea pot and swish it around to warm your pot.  Pour it out and put your tea bags in the pot, add hot water and let steep.  Best if you cover the pot with a tea cozy (picture to follow) or a dish towel to keep the pot warm.  Steep for about 10 minutes.  Put milk or cream in you cup (if you use it) add tea and prepare to have a "nice cuppa tea" as the English say!

Now, get that good book, a cozy throw, a comfy chair, go curl up and and enjoy yourself!!!!

I KNOW I AM!!!!!