Raisin' Hell Scones

Raisin' Hell Scones
(From "Biscuits and Scones" by Elizabeth Alston)

As made by Lisa for early morning risers ever since the first time I was supposed to cook breakfast and didn't wake up until noon.

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp salt
8 Tbs cold unsalted butter, cut up (Lisa says she only uses 6 Tbs 'cause it makes it lighter and tastier)
1 cup raisins
2 Tbs granulated sugar
Yolk of 1 large egg
3/4 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt
white of 1 large egg
additional sugar for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 350 F. Put flour, baking poweder, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt into a large bowl; stir to mix well. Add butter and cut in with a pastry blender or rub with your fingers, (Lisa pulses the mixture in the food processor) until the mixture looks like fine granules. Add raisins and sugar; toss to distibute evenly.

Add egg yolk to buttermilk in a measuring cup and whisk with a fork to blend. Pour over the flour mixture and stir with a fork until a soft dough forms. (Lisa freezed the dough at this point and saved it until ready to bake.)

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and give 10 to 12 kneads. Cut dough in half. Knead each half briefly into a ball; turn smoot side up and pat into a a 6-inch circle. Cut into 6 wedges, but do not separate wedges. (Lisa just kneeded it into a ball in a bowl and then pinched off 2-Tbs sized chunks to make small scones.)

In a small bowl, beat the egg white with a fork until just broken up. Brush the top of each scone with egg white and sprinkle lihtly with sugar. With a pancake turner, carefully transfer the two cut circles to an ungreased cookie sheet. If necessary, reshape circles so that the 6 wedges in each are touching, which keeps raisins from burning. (Lisa took each scone and dipped the top into the egg white and then sprinkled sugar.)

Bake 18- 22 minutes, until medium brown. Cool on a wire rack; after 5 minutes pull the wedges apart and cover loosely with a dish towel.

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