Ginger Buttermilk Scones
Recipe from the kitchen of Conifer House B&B
3 Cups all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 stick butter, cold and cut into 1/4 inch slices
1/4 to 1/2 cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped (I use the 1/4 cup--depends on what you like)
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
2 Tablespoons melted butter and raw sugar for glaze
Preheat oven to 400°F. (Recipe calls for 425°F, but I found it browned too quickly and wasn,t completely baked inside)
In large mixing bowl combine 1st four ingredients and mix with fork. Add butter slices and blend either with your fingers or with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal (you can also use a food processor-I have a friend who swears by hers.) Mix in ginger and then pour in buttermilk and stir to combine.
Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and GENTLY knead to form a smooth disk. Cut into four pieces and pat each into a circle and flatten lightly with palm of your hand and transfer to an ungreased baking sheet (I use parchment paper.) Score each disk into four sections and brush with melted butter and sprinkle with raw sugar. Bake 20 to 25 minuntes (depending on your own oven) until golden brown - test doneness by lightly pushing center to make sure insides are totally done.
You can vary this recipe by deleting the ginger and substituting dried fruits and nuts in its place. Depending on the sweetness of the fruit, you may want to increase the sugar to 4 Tablespoons. I don,t recommend most fresh fruit (like berries) but firm pears and apples work very well (about 1/2 to 3/4 cup is plenty.)
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