Vanilla Bean Scones

Friday night... it used to mean so much more than it does now.  In my early 20's, I would head home after a full day of school in addition to a full day of work, shower, glam myself up, and wait for the clock to tick 10:00PM.  After all, everyone knows that anyone heading out before 10 was definitely not "cool", and cool is what I wanted to be.  Tired, but looking forward to seeing friends, I would meet my BFF, Gail, at our local hang out where we both somehow gained a second wind and would dance the night away.

Now, however, Friday brings a whole new meaning.  Friday is the only night of the week that Liv doesn't have dance, hence, I don't have to drive anywhere if I don't want to.  And frequently, I don't want to.  While I do enjoy the occasional High School football game or an early bird cocktail with girlfriends, I mostly look forward to a night with no schedule and a bedtime bordering on 9PM. 

With the car parked and put to bed by 3 PM this afternoon, our family has enjoyed this unusually hot San Diego Friday evening (our temps reached the mid to high 90's, and with no air conditioning, it's a little hot...) under a fan catching up on the latest episodes of So You Think You Can Dance along with a simple dinner from the grill.

Looking for a sweet treat, Liv thankfully remembered the product of my early morning baking extravaganza - tender, sweet, Vanilla Bean Scones.  Topped with a sweet glaze speckled with tiny vanilla bean specs, I originally proclaimed these scones bland.  That proclamation, perhaps an early jump to conclusion, came as they were fresh from the oven while the glaze was still "drippy" and not set.

Liv and her girlfriend a few hours later, however, had a very opposite opinion.  Bringing them scones for our carpool ride home, each girl's eyes nearly popped as they took their first bites, and asking for critiques, the only on they came up with was, "You didn't bring enough!".

Taking my second try this evening, I have to agree with the girls.  Tender and with that ever so slight "crunch" as one bites into the hardened vanilla glaze, these delicate scones had me slyly reaching for seconds.  A wonderful, basic recipe that eases one's sweet tooth and brings a little excitement into Friday night.

Speaking of Friday night, it's 9:05.  I need to get to bed...

Vanilla Bean Scones
It was the yogurt in place of heavy cream that drew me to this recipe and eased my guilt at reaching for seconds.  Replacing a bit of the A/P flour with my favorite, slightly sweet spelt flour eased my guilt just a little more.  Jennifer's use of Vanilla Beans in addition to Vanilla Extract made these scones even more tempting and with beans left over form our Vanilla Extract Project, these scones hit the spot.
adapted from It's Baked In
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1 1/2 cups A/P Flour
1/2 cup spelt flour (may substitute all-purpose)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
8 Tbs unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small chunks
1/2 cup nonfat plain greek yogurt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 vanilla bean
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Vanilla Bean Glaze
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
1-2 Tbs milk

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Place the yogurt and egg into a small bowl.  Split your vanilla bean and scrape the seeds into the yogurt/egg mixture.  Add the 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract.  Whisk to combine, set aside.

Place flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt into the bowl of a food processor and pulse a time or two to blend.  Add the chopped butter chunks and process approximately 10-15 times, or until the flour resembles a coarse meal.

Pour the flour mixture into a large bowl and add the yogurt mixture.  Stir with a wooden spoon just until incorporated (using a light hand, over mixed scones will become tough), dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat to 3/4 of an inch thickness into your desired shape.  We pat ours into a rectangle, and cut the scones into squares, however you can pat into a circle and cut into wedges, or use a cutter to cut perfect circles.

Place the cut scones onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat at least 1 inch apart, and bake until very lightly browned, about 9-12 minutes.

Place baked scones onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

While scones are cooling, prepare your glaze.  Place the powdered sugar, vanilla extract and the seeds from 1/2 of a vanilla bean into the bowl.  Whisk to combine.  Add 1 Tbs of the milk and whisk.  Add the remaining milk about a teaspoon at a time until you have reached your desired consistency - thicker will obviously produce a thicker glaze, thinner a thinner version.  Mix what to your taste - Liv prefers a medium thick for a decently thick glaze on the scone.

Dip the tops of your scones into the glaze and replace onto the cooling rack until the glaze has set.

Liv Life Note:  Note that scones are usually best the day they are made, these however were a nice breakfast treat the morning after.