Fennel Seed Scones Recipes

FENNEL AND ORANGE SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, cake flour, sugar, baking powder, fennel and salt; whisk to combine. Add the cold butter to the flour mixture. Press and work the butter into the flour with your hands until the mixture has a shaggy texture and the butter pieces are no larger than peas.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, orange zest and egg yolk. Pour the liquid into the dry ingredients and fold together with a rubber spatula. Continue to gently fold the dough until it just comes together. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, making sure to scrape out all the contents of the bowl. Lightly knead the dough together until the ingredients are evenly incorporated and the dough is smooth. Using your hands, press the dough into an 18-by-3 3/4-inch rectangle. Cut the dough in half lengthwise using a bench scraper, so you have 2 long rectangles. Next, cut the dough every 3 inches crosswise, creating 12 small rectangles. Cut each small rectangle in half diagonally. This will give you 24 scones in the shape of a triangle.
• Place the scones on the prepared baking sheets, leaving at least 1 1/2 inches between each. Brush the tops with the egg white. Bake, rotating the baking sheets halfway through cooking, until the tops and bottoms are golden brown, 16 to 18 minutes. Let cool about 5 minutes. Serve warm with creme fraiche and jam.

FENNEL AND GOLDEN-RAISIN SCONES

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Place fennel seeds in a spice grinder, and pulse until coarsely ground, 10 times; set aside. (Alternatively, crush the seeds using a mortar and pestle.) In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt to combine. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, with a few larger clumps remaining.
• Add the raisins and reserved fennel seeds,1/2 cup olive oil, and the cream; stir until the dough just comes together. If the dough is too dry, add more cream, 1 tablespoon at a time. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. With lightly floured hands, gently pat the dough into a round about 1 1/2 inches thick.
• Using a floured 2 3/4-inch cookie cutter, cut out as many rounds as possible, dipping the cutter in flour each time; place on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Gently pat the scraps together, and continue cutting out rounds. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until the dough is very firm, at least 2 hours or overnight. (At this point, you can freeze the unbaked scones in a resealable plastic bag until ready to bake, up to 3 weeks.)
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Whisk together the egg and the remaining tablespoon olive oil; brush over the tops of the rounds, then sprinkle with fennel seeds. Bake, rotating the sheet halfway through, until the tops of the scones are golden and flecked with brown spots, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. They are best eaten the day they are baked.