Active Time

　　20 min

　　Total Time

　　45 min

　　Butter and cream make these crumbly, tart-spiked treasures rich, moist, and tender.

　　

Ingredients

Makes about 9 scones

　　4 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising; sift before measuring)

　　1/2 cup sugar plus more for sprinkling

　　1 tablespoon baking powder

　　1 teaspoon salt

　　1 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

　　1 cup dried cherries

　　1 large egg

　　1 cup heavy cream plus additional for brushing

　　

Equipment:

a 3-inch round cookie cutter

　　

Step 1

Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle.

　　

Step 2

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Scatter butter on top and blend with your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix in dried cherries.

　　

Step 3

Whisk together egg and cream in a small bowl, then fold into flour mixture until dough just comes together (dough will be quite delicate).

　　

Step 4

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. With floured hands, press into a 1-inch-thick rectangle. Cut out rounds with cutter and arrange 2 inches apart on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet. Gather scraps together and cut out additional scones.

　　

Step 5

Brush tops of scones with cream and sprinkle lightly with sugar. Bake scones, rotating baking sheet halfway through, until tops are golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on a rack about 10 minutes before serving.