Lily'S Lakeridge Amaretto/Almond Cherry Scones

• 1 3/4 cups king arthur unbleached cake flour blend
• 1 3/4 cups gold medal pre-sifted self-rising flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 sticks unsalted butter (frozen and grated small pearl size)
• approx 1+ cup fresh chopped red cherries
• approx 1 oz or less amaretto di sarono
• approx 1+ cup coarse chopped roasted, unsalted almonds
• approx 1 cup small chunks 'white chocolate'
• 1 cup half & half
• 1 tbsp real vanilla extract
• 2 eggs (to glaze to brush on scones before baking)
• approx 1 tbsp honey

1. pit and coarse chop approx 30 ripe red bing cherries. lay out in single layer of a baking dish and pour in amaretto to make a shallow bath. do not fully cover cherries. place pan in warm oven (about 200F) until amaretto is evaporated and cherry pieces are somewhat dry.
2. flour: UK scone recipes often call for self-rising flour and significant reduction of the baking powder (or none at all), while US recipes with all-purpose flour tend to include baking powder. with this recipe, using cake flour and self-rising, the baking powder was cut in half.
3. mix flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, almond pieces, white chocolate chunks and blend all with hands
4. mix all the wet ingredients: half&half, honey, vanilla extract, and a little of the amaretto (if desired) and set aside.
5. start with butter that is frozen solid and grate to form pea-sized or smaller pearls or curls. use both sticks and add quickly, blend with hands into dry flour mixture and put in freezer immediately (for 10-15 min) to keep the butter frozen.
6. mix the wet ingredients until consistent. add the wet mixture and cherries to the dry ingredients all at once and blend/fold with hands being careful not to overwork the dough as though making US style biscuits. return to freezer for about 1/2 hour.
7. grease/butter a baking sheet and, with hands, form scones to size 1 1/2 to 2 inch wide balls and slightly flatten. brush on whipped egg for glaze.
8. bake 12-15 minutes or until light golden brown

king arthur unbleached cake, gold medal, granulated sugar, salt, baking powder, butter, sarono, white chocolate, vanilla, eggs, honey

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/lilys-lakeridge-amaretto-almond-cherry-scones-52425611 (may not work)