Sweet Coffee House Scones

This is not your typical dry, stick in your throat, scone.  Moist and flavorful, this comes together easily, and without the use of heavy cream, since it's seldom something I have on hand.  This makes approximately 16 scones, and the batch is large enough to split into two flavors for a bit of variety.  My current favorite is toasted almonds (or hazlenuts) with dried apricots.  My two girls like triple chocolate chip, and my husband is a traditionalist with currents or raisins and a little cinnamon. 

INGREDIENTS

• 3 to 3 1/4 cups flour (depends on whether your mixins are wet- blueberries, raspberries, etc.)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar (packed)
• 12 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• milk and sugar for topping

 DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Mix flour (start with 3 cups), baking powder, salt, sugar and brown sugar, until well incorporated.
3. Cut the butter into tiny pieces and mix into the flour mixture (you can also use a food processor for this step or your hands if you work quick). Keep cutting in the butter until you incorporate the butter into the flour and it looks like it's the consistency of cornmeal.   
4. Add the milk, sour cream and vanilla extract, and mix to form a dough. If dough is too wet to work with, add a little more flour till you have a moist dough, but it's workable. Add your mix ins and mix till well distributed. If you have a wet mix in like blueberries, you may need to add a little more flour.
5. Cut dough in two (or cut in two before adding the mixins if you want two flavors) and shape into 2 rounds, 1/2 inch thick. Baste the top with a little milk and then sprinkle with sugar. Cut each circle into 8 wedges. Separate slightly to help them cook. Cook for approximately 17 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through in the middle. Enjoy!