Almond scones...and almond peach shortcakes

It is pretty well established that I love things made with almond paste - cookies, cakes, cupcakes, breads, croissants, you name it!  And now, I get to add scones to the list.

Almond scones made with almond paste

It wasn't until last November that I made scones for the first time.  I converted/educated myself and my family by trying that recipe and we've been enjoying those orange-chocolate-vanilla bean scones fairly regularly ever since.  My husband and I never thought we'd be oohing and ahhing over scones but we've been doing just that when we eat those.  So needless to say, I pay far more attention to scone recipes now and when I spotted one for almond scones on Food52 - ones that use almond paste - I've been itching to try it!

I love the deep, aromatic, sweet flavor that comes from almond paste.  The best part might be the chewiness it lends to things, scones included, as I've now discovered.  

These scones have grated almond paste distributed within them.  Grating almond paste on a box grater is a technique I learned recently while making the tri-color cookie cake.  It seems to be a great way to disperse the almond paste evenly into the batter. 

Freeze canned almond paste for 15 minutes and grate it easily using the large opening

Thanks to that almond paste, the scones bake up with a signature almond flavor, with a center that's a little bit chewy.  That chewiness is my favorite part and the thing that keeps me going back for more!  I do love all things almonds and I'd gladly eat these almond scones any day.

Peach shortcakes with almond scones

I thought I'd make these scones go double-duty and I used them to assemble some shortcakes.  Just like I used some of those lighter buttermilk biscuits to make strawberry shortcakes a while back, I decided to take these almond scones to make simple peach shortcakes (let's take advantage of some good peaches while they are readily available)! 

It's as easy as slicing open an almond scone and filling it with some slices of slightly-sweetened ripe peaches (I tossed them in a little sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice).  You could even add a small splash of liqueur (like amaretto) if you like.  Spoon the juices right over and let it seep into the scone...the scones were made to absorb that extra moisture.

A little whipped cream and your almond scone for breakfast (or afternoon tea) subs in for dessert. How fun is that!

When it comes to making scones (like biscuits), I could really use some pointers and more practice! The dough always seems a little too dry to pull together and I'm really tempted to add more buttermilk but I know I probably shouldn't.  It's that delicate balance of just-enough moisture that's key, right?  And I also worry about over-handling the dough as I try to work it together. Luckily, I think things are generally more forgiving than we fear and I believe the almond paste in this recipe makes it a little more forgiving since it provides chew and moisture in the finished product.

Coarse sugar (I used turbinado) and almond slices add a really nice top layer of crunch and sweetness to these scones

Once your dough comes together in a round 3/4-inch thick disc, you could slice into wedges to avoid waste.  I would have done that but I think these almond paste-scones are special enough to call for the round pastry cutter.  And if you plan to make shortcakes like I planned on doing, you'll want that round shape.

I hate to see any of my precious almond paste go to waste though so I did pull my scraps together to cut out an additional scone.  I divided the recipe in half so I ultimately ended up with 7 scones in my case (you will still have some waste unless you really want to get aggressive with the re-rolling).  Just so you know, the "scrap scone" might not have baked up as nicely (no flaky sides and generally more "lumpy" looking) but surprisingly - it tasted fantastic!  I'm thinking the almond paste adds chewiness and moisture so that the extra handling isn't as big a detriment.

When all's said and done (and eaten), I've now found myself another great scone recipe...

...and a way to enjoy seasonal peaches!  This was really fun.


Recipes:

Almond Scones
Recipe from Judith Rae via Food52.com

- Approximately twelve 2 1/2-inch round scones (I divided the recipe in half with good results) -

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 stick unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces
7 ounces almond paste, frozen (I use the canned kind and prefer this one; remove almond paste from can before freezing for about 15 minutes)
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 egg
1 egg, mixed with 1 teaspoon cold water (for egg wash)
Coarse sugar, for topping (I used turbinado sugar)
Sliced almonds, for topping

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicon baking mat.

Place flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda into the bowl of a stand mixer.  Stir with paddle attachment to combine.  Add cold butter pieces and cut butter into the dry mixture.  If there are any chunks of butter remaining, you can break them up with your fingers.  You're looking for the texture of coarse meal, with some pea size pieces of butter still in the mix.  (Alternatively, you could do this process by hand in a large bowl and using a pastry cutter and your fingers to work the butter into the flour.)

Grate frozen almond paste on the large-hole side of a 4-sided box grater.  Stir this into the butter and flour mixture.  

In a measuring cup, mix the buttermilk, almond extract, and egg together.  Add this into the other ingredients, stirring until just combined.  

Turn dough out onto a slightly floured surface.  Knead gently a few times until dough comes together and is just smooth.  Lightly pat the dough out to about a 3/4-inch thickness.  Cut out scones using a 2 1/2-inch round pastry cutter and place on to baking sheet.  (If you're like me and don't like waste, you can pull the scraps together - with as light a touch as possible - and cut out 2 more extra scones.  These won't bake up as nicely with flaky sides but will still be very tasty.)  Brush the top of the scones with egg wash and top with coarse sugar and sliced almonds.  

Bake until golden brown, about 16-18 minutes.  Let scones cool on a rack and serve.    

To freeze: Scones freeze very well.  Place scones you plan to freeze (without egg wash or other toppings) on a baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper.  Freeze until solid then wrap with plastic wrap and foil, and place in a freezer bag.  To bake, place frozen scones on lined baking sheet, brush on egg wash and add toppings, then bake immediately as directed, adding an extra couple of minutes to the bake time.  


Almond Peach Shortcakes 
Based on almond scone recipe from above

- For 2 shortcakes -

2 small to medium ripe peaches, peeled and sliced
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 almond scones, recipe above
1/4 cup lightly whipped cream

Place peaches into a bowl and toss with sugar and lemon juice (you could even add a splash of liqueur, if desired).  Set aside and let sit for about 15 minutes.  

For each shortcake, slice an almond scone across horizontally.  Place the bottom of the scone on to a plate. Spoon half the peaches on top of it, drizzling some of the liquid from the fruit over it.  Add a generous dollop of whipped cream and top with the remaining half of the scone.