Mrs. G's Fair Scones

This base of this recipe is called Puyallup Fair Scones (Puyallup Fair Scones (Fisher Scones))...I of course had to mess with a good thing and here's the recipe I came up with. These are even better! Here's some of the research on scones that I found...using butter gives the best flavor, but shortening preserves the scones better after the first day. Hence the 1/2 butter, 1/2 shortening, a good compromise. Using heavy cream keeps the scones moister than milk. The recommended flours (for taste and gluten content) are first, Pillsbury Unbleached Enriched All-Purpose Flour (with a 10 - 11% gluten content), second King Arthur Unbleached Enriched All-purpose Flour (with an 11% gluten content). Chilling the butter and shortening in the freezer for 20 minutes or so helps the fat not "melt" when mixing. You can use your hands or a pastry blender to mix the fat and flour, but using a food processor also keeps the fat intact and not "melted" from the heat of your hands. Mix as little as possible so that the gluten does not over develop and make the scones tough. Sifting is critical. 2 1/2 cups unsifted flour weighs more than 2 1/2 cups sifted flour and would make a tougher scone. If you want to get really into it, "they" say that you should place a measuring cup on top of some parchment/wax paper and actually sift the flour into the cup, use the paper to catch the excess.

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Yields: 8 scones

Ingredients

• 2 1⁄2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2  teaspoons baking powder, double acting (make sure your baking powder is still active!)
• 2  tablespoons sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 3  tablespoons shortening, chilled
• 3  tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
• 3⁄4 cup heavy cream
• 2  tablespoons heavy cream (if omitting rasins)

Directions

1. Sift and measure the flour.
2. Re-sift with other dry ingredients.
3. Work shortening & butter into dry ingredients with the fingers.
4. Add raisins to flour-fat mixture and mix thoroughly (you may omit raisins).
5. Add milk to mixture. (If you are omitting the raisins, add another 2 Tablespoons of milk).
6. Turn out on to a floured board and divide into two equal pieces.
7. Roll or pat each into a round and to the thickness of biscuits (3/4 inch to a full inch).
8. Cut into wedge shaped pieces like a pie and bake about 15 minutes at 450 degrees on an ungreased baking sheet.
9. To serve like they do at the fair; split open but do not cut clear through. Fill with jam and close.