Dried cherry scones are a simple treat for the post-holiday breakfast table

"Scones are the answer. So simple to make, fairly quick to bake, and if you want to make the dough and pat it out into a circle the night before, you can pop them into the oven in the morning while you make a cup of coffee and stare at the pots soaking in the sink. The dough for these scones is fairly sticky, so it benefits from a period of chilling in the fridge, at least two hours."

"This allows the butter to remain very cold, and as it melts while baking, small air pockets form which give the scones a light, somewhat flaky texture. The chilling also firms up the dough and prevents it from spreading. Finally, this resting period allows the gluten in the flour to relax, resulting in a more tender product. Since refrigerator or freezer space is often tight this time of year, you can chill the dough on a parchment-lined plate, since baking sheets are big and cumbersome."

"If you don't have a food processor, or just want to do this by hand, you can also cut the butter into the flour mixture using two knives, a pastry cutter, or your fingers if you work quickly. I love dried cherries and use them often in dishes both savory and sweet. They can be pricy though, so feel free to substitute other chopped or tiny dried fruit. Try these with dried cranberries or blueberries, or chopped dried apricots."

Scones provide a simple, quick breakfast that can be prepared the night before and baked the next morning while handling other kitchen tasks. The dough is fairly sticky and benefits from chilling at least two hours or about 30 minutes in the freezer to keep butter cold, create air pockets during baking, firm the dough to prevent spreading, and allow gluten to relax for tenderness. Chill on a parchment-lined plate to save refrigerator space. Cut butter in by food processor, knives, pastry cutter, or fingers. Use dried cherries or substitute cranberries, blueberries, or chopped apricots. Store airtight at room temperature one to two days and rewarm at 300°F for a few minutes.

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