![Jordan Marsh’s Blueberry Muffins](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/04/27/dining/03COOKING-JORDANMARSHMUFFIN2/03COOKING-JORDANMARSHMUFFIN2-mediumThreeByTwo440-v2.jpg?width=1280&quality=75&auto=webp)
Brandied Fruit Scones
![Brandied Fruit Scones](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2020/11/19/dining/yk-brandied-fruit-scones/merlin_180213357_baf49acd-fa87-4596-adb9-81db3437d09e-articleLarge.jpg?width=1280&quality=75&auto=webp)
- Total Time
- 30 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
Advertisement
Ingredients
- 3cups/385 grams all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling the dough
- ¼cup/50 grams granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling (which is optional, but encouraged)
- 1½teaspoons kosher salt
- 1½teaspoons baking powder
- ¼teaspoon baking soda
- ¾cup/170 grams cold unsalted butter (1½ sticks), cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1cup/180 grams drained brandied dried fruit
- 1¼cups/300 milliliters cold heavy cream, plus more for brushing
Preparation
- Step 1
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Step 2
In a medium mixing bowl, combine 3 cups flour, ¼ cup sugar, the salt, baking powder and baking soda, and whisk to incorporate. Working quickly, rub the cold butter into the dry mixture using your fingers or a pastry cutter. Cut the butter into the flour until the pieces are the size of small pebbles. (Alternatively, use a food processor to pulse the dry ingredients with the butter, to cut the butter.)
- Step 3
Add the drained brandied fruit and toss to combine. Make a well in the center and pour in the heavy cream. Use a wooden spoon to combine until a shaggy dough forms. Transfer the dough to a work surface and press the clumps together enough to form a slightly uniform piece.
- Step 4
Lift the dough and flour your work surface. Pat or roll the dough out into an 8-inch square. Use a sharp knife or a bench scraper to divide the dough into 16 square pieces. Transfer the scones to the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops with heavy cream, and sprinkle with sugar if you like.
- Step 5
Bake until cooked through and the tops are golden brown, 20 to 22 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
- The scone dough can be mixed, cut, wrapped and stored frozen up to a week ahead. To bake frozen scones, heat oven to 375 degrees. Pop the frozen scones on a lined baking sheet, leaving some space between the pieces. Brush the tops with heavy cream, sprinkle with sugar and bake for 25 minutes.
Private Notes
Cooking Notes
You can form the dough into a circle, then cut the circle through in three strokes to make six triangles. Don’t separate the triangles, just bake in a circle and cut again when baked.
I’ve found it’s well worth the extra time to make a double batch and freeze half the unbaked scones to pop in the oven another day. I place them on parchment paper and then slide into a big ziplock bag.
Made this on zoom with a few friends, each of us agreed that the resulting scone was too salty. Would recommend using less salt (maybe by 1/4 tsp). Otherwise the texture of this scone was perfect.
I didn’t have the brandies fruit on hand so I substituted with bourbon soaked dried cranberries. Divine.
Used milk instead of cream. Next time, up the fruit by another half cup.
This will be my experimental scone recipe this year. I find that the key to making scones is having a light touch. After adding liquid, mix quickly and lightly with hands just until dry ingredients are incorporated. If the dough is wet+sticky, wait a few minutes then shape, without making a smooth dough or kneading. Over mixing makes a dense scone. My own recipe includes leftover sourdough starter. I might try it here too.
These are the best scones I have ever made or eaten. I sprinkled mine with cinnamon sugar. Even though they will be good any time of year, they are nice during the holiday season. I baked 4 straight away and froze the rest on 1/8 size sheet pans. This morning, I popped a tray of 4 more into the oven; warm and fresh scones for breakfast.
I made this with oat milk and it worked well to create a good scone texture. The scones were a little salty, but the salt kick was delicious--just on the edge, providing flavor but not overdoing it. That said, if you don't like a salty flavor, cut it down a little. I also made a brandy butter (butter, brandy, brown sugar) to go with it and it was delish.
These are light and delicious; cutting them into squares offers a bigger yield and more moderately-sized scone than the traditional wedge. Before baking, suggest brushing with a combination of a whole egg beaten with a splosh of milk or cream, and then sprinkling with turbinado sugar.
I have not baked these yet, but noticed several readers commenting that the end result is too salty. This could be due to differences in kosher salt formulations. Perhaps the author of the recipe should specify whether Morton or Diamond brand was used. The different crystal structures make a significant difference when measured by volume.
I would use turbinado sugar on top of the scones prior baking; and I would use a mini scone pan just because... Looks like a great recipe.
These are incredible! The texture is crispy on the outside and tender and moist on the inside. Definitely can increase the amount of dried fruit without an issue if desired. I added an apple cider glaze on top just to gild the lily. I’m so glad I have a ton of brandied fruit left over so I can make another batch!
I have not tried them yet but I always after cutting them I wrap individually and freeze them so I make them as needed so they always taste freshly made and come out great. Doesn't take very long and you can pull them out the night before leave in the refrigerator as well.
If you don’t have a food processor, chill the butter and grate it with a chilled cheese grater. I do this for pie dough, and it works perfectly. It drives me crazy that recipes often call for some expensive and somewhat unnecessary piece of equipment.
I have made this several times (since I have a large jar of this fruit). I find it a bit hard to have it stick together, so I've added a tad more cream. I've had them fresh and pop some in the freezer for later. Everyone (including me) loves them. Have done triangles and squares - kind of depends how my 'pile' comes together. Need to go buy some brandy to make another batch!
Heavenly. I lost my old recipe for dried-cherry scones and found this one, which I like better. I didn’t have 3 days to brandy the fruit, so I chopped up the dried cherries and soaked them in about 2 tablespoons of Bumbu spiced rum for an hour or so. Three generations loved them!
Excellent!! Handle gently and good to refrigerate an hour before baking. Try different combos - apricots/almonds, cherries/choc chips, cranberries/orange zest?
These are terrific. I've made them just as instructed, which are great, and then I made a second batch when I'd almost run out of cream. Substituted buttermilk, and increased baking soda to about 3/4 tsp, decreased baking powder to 3/4 tsp, and also substituted 1 c. whole wheat for 1 c. all-purpose flour. I thought they were even better. Got rave reviews.
Just chopped some dried Turkish apricots and mixed them in (skipped the soak). Fantastic!
I grated the cold butter on a box grater, and this dough came together so quickly. I wanted mini scones to gift with a jar of the brandied fruit (which is absolutely amazing), so I cut each square diagonally, yielding 32 smallish triangles. Delivered to friends' doorsteps today, and am now a Christmas hero. So delicious!
I made these gluten-free by using measure for measure gluten free flour (King Arthur) and adding half a teaspoon of xanthan gum. They were wonderful.
I have made this several times (since I have a large jar of this fruit). I find it a bit hard to have it stick together, so I've added a tad more cream. I've had them fresh and pop some in the freezer for later. Everyone (including me) loves them. Have done triangles and squares - kind of depends how my 'pile' comes together. Need to go buy some brandy to make another batch!
If you don’t have a food processor, chill the butter and grate it with a chilled cheese grater. I do this for pie dough, and it works perfectly. It drives me crazy that recipes often call for some expensive and somewhat unnecessary piece of equipment.
These were SO good. I followed the recipe to the letter and couldn’t stop eating them. Can’t wait for the other half of the batch, which is patiently waiting in my freezer!!
Ok I cut the dough into 7 triangles instead. Baked longer - 55 minutes. And the dough in the middle is still undercooked. Ugh!!
Try two cups of fruit next time
I saved this recipe late last year and had it in mind when I came across containers of candied fruit peel and candied fruit on clearance for ridiculously low prices after the holidays. I made my first batch this morning using candied orange peel and it tasted like I was biting into a scone slathered with orange marmalade (yes, I buttered them as well). Absolutely delicious. Now I wish I'd bought more of the low-priced candied fruit for future batches. Thanks for an amazing recipe.
These scones didn’t do it for me although overall the flavor and texture were good and I liked the technique of cutting them in squares. The fruit mix was ok but for the cost of the ingredients I wanted more flavor and brighter colors. I learned that I like scones that have a little less butter in them than this recipe has. Also, mine took quite a bit longer in the oven than indicated so trust your instincts on the bake time.
Cooking time was a little low..... had to bake for about 26 minutes for golden brown on top. Otherwise great recipe!
I chopped frozen butter to the target size, which was very efficient and gave me confidence that I wouldn’t overwork the dough. I combined turning the dough out and shaping it into a single step (on parchment). I probably should have added a little more cream to help the dough come together, but nevertheless they turned out very well - extremely tender. Baked 3 and froze the rest. I would make this again with assorted mix-ins and perhaps a bit of whole wheat flour.
Advertisement