Dried Fruit and Ginger Scones

Step 1

Position a rack in the middle of your oven and preheat to 425F. If you will be baking on a pizza stone, put it in the oven to preheat as well. If you will be using a cookie sheet, line it with parchment paper and set it aside.

Step 2

Whisk together the flours, baking powder, 3 TB of the sugar, and salt in a medium bowl.

Step 3

Cut in the butter using a pastry blender, two knives, or your fingers, until the largest chunks of butter are the size of small peas.

Step 4

Pour in the cream and milk (or just use all cream, if you have it) and mix it around with a fork until an evenly hydrated, extremely sticky dough forms.

Step 5

Add the fruits and mix again until evenly distributed (you may have to work a bit to break up the ginger pieces).Dump the sticky mass out onto a well-floured board.

Step 6

Sprinkle a little flour on top as well, then pat the dough out into a circle about 1-inch thick. Try not to add too much flour, lest they become dense and tough. Dip a pizza cutter or other thin, sharp knife into flour, then cut the circle into 8 equal sized pieces. You may need to scrape off and re-flour your slicing instrument between slices.Using a bench scraper, a thin spatula, or (if you are brave) your hands, relocate your 8 scones to your prepared baking vessel, spacing them a half inch or so apart (they will puff and rise a little bit, but not tremendously).

Step 7

Sprinkle the tops with the remaining 1 TB of sugar.

Step 8

Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until lightly golden on top and cooked through.Cool at least 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Eat warm or cool.