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Preheat
oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) and place the oven rack in the
center of
the oven. Butter, or spray with a non-stick vegetable spray, an
8-inch (20 cm) round cake pan.
In a large bowl
whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut the butter into
small pieces and blend into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two
knives (the mixture should look like coarse crumbs). Add the
milk and vanilla extract and stir until just combined. Do not over mix.
Gently
knead the
dough on a lightly floured surface. Transfer the dough to the prepared cake pan and gently pat
until it is even. Brush the top of the dough with a little cream.
Bake for
about 20 minutes or until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the
center of the scone comes out clean. Remove from oven and then turn your
broiler on high. Sift confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar over
the top of the scone and place it under the broiler. Broil for just a few
seconds, turning the pan as necessary, until the sugar has melted and turns
golden brown. Make sure to watch the scone carefully as the sugar will
burn very quickly. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Filling: Wash and
slice the strawberries. Place half of the strawberries in a large bowl and
crush them with a potato masher or fork. Add the remaining sliced strawberries
and assorted berries, along with the sugar. (The amount of sugar used will depend on how sweet the berries are.) Set
aside to macerate (soak) at room temperature for
about 30 to 60 minutes.
For whipped cream: In a large mixing bowl place the whipping cream,
vanilla extract, and sugar and
stir to combine. Cover and chill the bowl and beaters in the refrigerator for at
least 30 minutes. When chilled, beat the mixture until stiff peaks form. The whipped cream will hold for several hours in the refrigerator.
To serve: Cut the
scone in half horizontally and place the bottom
half of the scone (soft side up) on a dessert plate. Top with some of the
cream and most of the
berries. Place the top half of
the scone on top of the berries. If there is any juice from the
berries, drizzle over the top of the scone along with the rest of the berries. Place dollops of the whipped
cream (can also pipe) attractively on the top of the scone. Serve
immediately.
Serves
about 6 - 8 people.
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