A Heart of Scone

American scones that I have typically enjoyed are triangular in shape and sweet. Usually when I meet a friend at a café I buy one. Since I'm staying home more now, though, friends are coming to visit me, and I like to offer them a goody. This recipe makes a simple, sweet scone that bakes up firm but not hard; it is soft to chew and not overly sweet, so it's good with coffee or tea.

Simple Scones
2.5 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
8 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut up
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2/3 cup milk (whole or 2% is best)
Ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 425F. Put flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl; mix well with a spoon. Add the butter pieces and cut in with a pastry blender or rub with your fingers until the mixture looks like fine granules. (I start with a pastry blender but usually switch to fingers to really work it in.) Add sugar and mix. Mix vanilla and milk together in a measuring up. Add the milk to the bowl and stir with a fork until dough forms. Using your hands, form the dough into a ball. On a large cutting board or flat surface, pat the ball into a 6-7 inch circle. Cut the circle into 8 triangular pieces. Place the wedges on an ungreased cookie sheet, slightly apart for crisp sides, touching for soft. Sprinkle white sugar and ground cinnamon on each scone. Bake about 12-14 minutes or until light brown on top. Makes 8 scones.