Strawberry & Ricotta Scones

As I mentioned earlier, I couldn’t resist picking up some strawberries at the farmers market last weekend. I was excited, so I naturally bought a whole three-pack and put some to use in these strawberry and ricotta scones. I adapted this recipe slightly from my Smitten Kitchen cookbook and was relieved at how easy they were to make (especially compared to this recipe). The dough gets mixed and kneaded in a single bowl, patted into a square, and then cut into even shapes (I like to make triangles). I added a little more sugar to the batter and a dusting of powdered sugar on top since I like my scones on the sweeter side, but if your fruit is already really sweet you could cut back to ¼ cup. When the scones bake, the strawberries turn into delicious jam-like pockets of goodness and the whole house smells like melted butter. They make great breakfast pastries, snacks, dessert, or gifts.

Strawberry & Ricotta Scones:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 c. whole wheat flour, 1 c. all-purpose flour, 1/3 c. granulated sugar,  1 tbsp. baking powder, and 1 large pinch of salt.
• Dice 6 tbsp. cold butter and add to the flour mixture.
• Using your fingers, work the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse meal.
• Toss in 1 1/2 c. diced strawberries and coat with the flour mixture.
• Add in 3/4 c. ricotta cheese and 1/3 c. heavy cream and stir to combine into a dough.
• Use your hands to knead the dough into a ball at the bottom of the bowl, then transfer to a well-floured surface.
• Gently pat the dough into a 1" tall square and cut into triangles.
• Place the scones on a parchment-lined baking sheet* and brush the tops of each with a little heavy cream.
• Bake the scones in a 425F oven for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly golden.
• Let scones cool slightly, then dust with powdered sugar and serve.**

Serves eight-twelve

*Scones can be frozen at this point. To cook, just add frozen scones to a baking sheet and cook for a few extra minutes.

**Scones will keep in an air-tight container for a few days.