Apricot Cream Cheese Scones            

Ingredients:
3 1/4 cups Mellow Pastry Blend OR King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
8-ounce package cream cheese (cold)
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter
1 cup diced or slivered apricots
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla or 1/2 teaspoon fiori di sicilia ( Italian flavoring )
1/4 cup milk
Sparkling white sugar, for topping



Directions:
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in the cream cheese and butter, using your fingers, a pastry blender, fork, or a mixer, until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, then stir in the apricots. In a separate bowl whisk together the egg, vanilla and milk.

Combine the liquid and dry ingredients and stir until the dough becomes cohesive. Don't mix and mix and mix; the more you work with the dough, the tougher it'll get. Remember: an iron fist in a velvet glove does the trick!

Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface, and fold it over several times, until it holds together. Pat the dough into a 3/4-inch thick rectangle.

Cut scones with a round cutter, gathering the scraps and re-rolling the dough. Or simply cut the dough into squares or diamonds. Brush the tops lightly with milk and sprinkle with sparkling white or pearl sugar.

Place scones about 2 inches apart on an ungreased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake them in a preheated 425°F oven for 8 minutes. Turn the oven off, leave the door closed, and continue to bake for 8 more minutes, until the scones are a light, golden brown. Serve hot, with clotted cream and jam or raspberry curd.

Yield: about 18 medium-sized scones.