Strawberry Shortcake Scones

I have a real thing for berries.

I do.  I swear.  Every year when berry season hits in Southern California I go hog wild.  Buying berries every week from the farmer's markets until I'm blue in the face....almost literally!  I buy them all, blackberries, raspberries (red and white), strawberries, blueberries...you name it.  I just LOVE them!

So with all these berries around I have to find new ways to use them.  Which often means searching for new twists on standards like scones.  I love a good scone, don't you? Since they are a little more involved than a quick throw together meal I usually save this type of item for my weekend breakfasts.  Perfect for sitting on the patio eating them with a nice cup of hot tea.  

So I've found myself with an excess of strawberries a while back and we've been eating them in desserts such as parfaits and strawberry shortcakes.  Our strawberries have been to DIE FOR this year.  So sweet they don't need any sugar!  

So I hit the Internet and came across the best recipe for a strawberry shortcake style scone.  Wow!  I knew that this would be right up my alley.  What makes these different from regular scones is the addition of ricotta cheese and whipping cream to the mixture.  These ingredients elevate your scones to a different level and make them so tender and moist.

Hands down, this is an excellent recipe for scones.  The strawberries are the highlight but the tender but moist biscuits make it heaven on a plate.

Enjoy!

Strawberry Shortcake Scones 

slightly adapted from BHG.com

Yield: 12 scones

1 cup chopped fresh strawberries
2 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter
1 egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
1/4 cup whipping cream
Whipping cream

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.   In a small bowl, toss together strawberries and 1 tablespoon flour. In a large bowl combine the 2 1/2 cups flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry cutter, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in center of the flour mixture; set aside. 

In a medium bowl combine the egg, ricotta, and 1/4 cup whipping cream. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Add strawberries. Using a fork, stir just until moistened. 

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead dough by folding and gently pressing it for 10 to 12 strokes or until dough is nearly smooth. Pat dough into a 10x4-inch rectangle. Cut in half lengthwise and in sixths crosswise to make 12 rectangles. 

Place rectangles 2 inches apart on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Brush with additional whipping cream.  Bake about 16 minutes or until golden brown. Remove scones from baking sheet. Serve warm.