Fresh Cherry Scones with Buttermilk

Cooks who enjoy savory treats can never have enough recipes for biscuits and scones. I probably make such quickbreads at least once a week. I couldn't resist taking advantage of the cherry season and I whipped up a batch of these for friends and family. They certainly did not last long. The only drawback is the laborious task of pitting the cherries, even though I have a cherry pitter. Make sure you don't wear a white shirt when working with these most delicious of fruits, or at least you might want to wear an apron.

This recipe is adapted from The Best Quick Breads by Beth Hensperger. This is an invaluable volume if you enjoy making quickbreads as much as I do. There are roughly 150 recipes for muffins, loaves, gingerbreads, cornbreads, coffee cakes, pancakes and crepes, waffles, popovers and oven pancakes, dumplings, scones, soda breads, biscuits, shortcakes and lots of helpful hints and tips. The only significant change I made to this recipe was to use fresh cherries instead of dried tart cherries, but I am sure dried cherries would be delightful too.

Fresh Cherry Scones with Buttermilk

2 1/2 cups of unbleached white flour or spelt flour
1/4 cup of rolled oats
1/4 cup of packed brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1 teaspoon of cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
5 tablespoons of unsalted cold butter, cut into pieces
1 cup of fresh cherries, pitted and chopped into bits
1 large egg
3/4 cup of buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Cut the butter into the mixture with a pastry cutter or fork until the butter resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the cherries. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk and vanilla. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Knead a few times, and shape the dough into roughly 1 inch rounds and transfer to the prepared baking sheet, leaving an inch between each scone.

Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 15 - 20 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool on a baking rack and serve.

Yields 12 biscuits.

Other quick breads you will be sure to enjoy from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Whole Wheat Blueberry Tea Biscuits with Dried Cherries
Cherry Blueberry Muffins
Cherry Vanilla Ricotta Muffins
Raisin Cranberry Tea Biscuits

On the top of the reading stack: Pan by Knut Hamsun
and
The Man Who Laughs by Victor Hugo

Audio Accompaniment: Quiet City by Pan American

Here is an image of our street under construction a few weeks ago during the weekend when we had a downpour. What a mess. Thankfully, the doozers take the weekend off as that gives us a break from the noise at least.