Eat these plain scones with butter or whipped cream and jam.

• 2 cups unbleached flour, plus additional amount, about 1/2 cup, for rolling out scones
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 6 Tablespoons butter, chilled
• 3/4 cup whipping cream (straight from carton, don’t whip)
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• Parchment paper (to cover cookie sheets)

Preheat oven to 400 ° F and cut or fold bakery parchment paper to cover bottom of cookie sheets.  This helps both with baking and browning and also speeds up the cleanup process.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar; mix thoroughly. Cut in butter using a pastry blender (handle with wires or shaped metal in a half-circle). The butter pieces should be about the size of small green peas and be fully coated with flour.

Pour whipping cream and slightly beaten egg on top of flour mixture and work with fork until most of the dry ingredients are moist. Use fingers (clean, washed hands or wear one-use, disposable gloves) to squeeze the dough several times until everything sticks together in a smooth ball.

Sprinkle a cutting board with flour and use a little more to dust the rolling pin and round cookie cutter.  Turn the scone dough onto the floured surface and roll out a slab of dough 1-inch thick.  Cut small circles about the size of biscuits.  Re-shape dough scraps and re-roll and cut. You can only re-shape one time before the tough gets too tough to work with.

Bake for 15 minutes. Move the scones by sliding the parchment paper onto a cooling rack to prevent them from absorbing more heat from the baking sheet.