Dried Apricot Scones with Pecans and Shredded Coconut

Dense and packed full of healthy bits of fruits and nuts, these are the energy bar of scones, and my sister’s all-time favorite scone recipe!  These scones call for dried apricots, but dried mango, papaya, and pineapple all work well as substitutes.  These Dried Apricot Scones with Pecans and Shredded Coconut came from “Once Upon a Tart… Soups Salads, Muffins, and More From New York City’s Favorite Bakeshop and Cafe” by Frank Mentesana and Jerome Audureau with Carolyn Carreno.  Enjoy!

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

10 tbsp (1 stick plus 2 tbsp) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

2 large eggs

1/4 cup cold milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped

1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

1.  Position your oven racks so that one is in the center, and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2.  Dump the dry ingredients into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, and pulse to mix.

3.  Add the butter to the bowl all at once, and run the food processor for about 15 seconds.  Switch to pulse, and continue pulsing until there are no chunks of butter left and the mixture looks like moist crumbs.  Remove the blade from the food processor, and dump the crumbs into a big bowl.

4.  In a separate, medium-size bowl, whisk the eggs to break up the yolks.  Whisk in the milk and vanilla.  Use the whisk to stir in the nuts, apricots, and coconut.

5.  Pour the wet ingredients on top of the flour-butter crumbs, and stir them with a wooden spoon until they come together and there is no flour visible.  Don’t work the dough a moment longer than necessary.

6.  Use a 1/2-cup measuring cup or your hand (eyeballing for size) to scoop up the dough.  Roll each piece of dough into a ball and place it on your prepared baking sheet, leaving 2 inches between pieces.  Press down on each dough ball with eh heel of your hand so that you have a fat disk (1-1 1/2 inches thick), like a hockey puck.

7.  Place the baking sheet on the center rack in the oven, and bake the scones for 20-25 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick or small knife inserted into the center of one comes out clean.

8.  Remove the baking sheet from the oven, and place it on a wire rack to let scones cool for a few minutes. Lift the baking sheet off the rack, and use a metal spatula to transfer the scones from the baking sheet to the rack, or directly to whatever you’re serving the scones from.  Serve fresh from the oven or at room temperature.  

Yield:  8 scones

“Once Upon a Tart…” by Frank Mentesana and Jerome Audureau