Cider-Glazed Apple Cinnamon Scones

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for hands and work surface
1 tablespoon baking powder
1¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter, partially frozen
½ cup heavy cream, plus 2 tablespoons for brushing
1 large egg
½ cup packed light or dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 heaping cup apple, (use firm, tart varieties such as Granny Smith or Pippin), peeled and chopped
Optional for topping: Coarse sugar, also known as decorating or pearl sugar, available online or at baking suppliers

Preheat oven to 400° F.

Whisk flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt together in a large bowl. With a box grater, grate the partially frozen butter directly into the bowl. Using your fingers, gently and quickly work the mixture until it forms pea-sized crumbs. Place in the freezer for 10–15 minutes while you mix the wet ingredients together.

Whisk ½ cup heavy cream, the egg, brown sugar and vanilla extract together in a small bowl and remove the dry flour and butter mixture from the freezer. Drizzle the wet mixture over the chilled ingredients and add the apples. Mix the dough, first with a spoon, then with your hands, until everything appears moistened.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured pastry slab or counter and with floured hands, work it into a ball as best you can (you can also work the dough into a ball right in the bowl and then place it on the counter). If the dough is too crumbly and dry, add 1–2 tablespoons of heavy cream as needed.

With your hands or a rolling pin, gently pat or roll the dough into an 8-inch disc and, with a sharp knife, cut into 8 wedges. Brush scones with remaining heavy cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Place the scones on a plate or lined baking sheet and chill in the freezer for at least 15 minutes.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Arrange the scones 2–3 inches apart and bake for 20–22 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges and lightly browned on top. Remove from the oven and let cool. Makes 8.

FOR THE GLAZE

1–1½ cups sifted powdered sugar
2–4 tablespoons boiled apple cider (see below)

Add 1 tablespoon of boiled apple cider to the powdered sugar and blend with a spoon. Add additional cider little by little, until the glaze is thin enough to drip slowly from the spoon. Drizzle over the cooled scones. Leftover scones keep well at room temperature for 2 days or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 days.

TIPS AND TRICKS

Boiled apple cider is the secret ingredient for adding a hit of tangy fruit flavor to this recipe.

Take 1 quart of the best apple cider you can find and bring it to a boil in a large pot. Reduce heat to low and let it simmer for 30–45 minutes, until it has reduced by ⅓–½. It will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for months.

The secret to great scones is to keep everything really cold and use a light touch while working the butter so it doesn’t melt or absorb into the flour. The butter needs to be in small, discrete chunks in the dough when the pastry goes into the oven. That way the butter will melt and release steam as the scones bake, creating the lift and layering necessary for light, fluffy scones. This is why we freeze the flour/butter mixture and then freeze it again after the scones are shaped. This results in scones that retain their shape and have lovely, crunchy edges and an airy interior.

Using a box grater to grate partially frozen butter is the simplest and quickest way to reduce the butter to small chunks. Then the grated butter can easily be crumbled into even smaller chunks with your hands and mixed with the flour. Use a light touch however, because you don’t want the butter to disappear into the flour. It needs to stay in small, separate bits.