The Soup Diva

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup white sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¾ stick butter, cubed
• 1 egg, beaten
• ½ cup milk or half-and-half
• ½ cup dates (or other dried fruit)
• ¼ cup chopped pecans (or other nut)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a baking sheet (skip this step if using a baking stone). In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter (if you don’t have a pastry cutter, work the butter into the flour with your fingers until the dough has a crumbly texture. You can also freeze the stick of butter and grate it into the bowl, saving back ¼ of the stick.) Add fruit/nuts. Whisk the egg and milk in a small bowl or measuring cup and stir into flour mixture a little at a time until just moistened (you may not need to add the entire egg/milk mixture – dough should feel dry, not sticky. It is okay for a small amount of dry ingredients to remain in bottom of bowl; you can incorporate this into the dough during the next step.)
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and pat out into a ½ inch thick round (do not overwork dough). Cut into 8 wedges, and place on the prepared baking sheet or stone. Bake 15-20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown. Serve hot with butter and/or other favorite condiment.

I first made these on the day of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding (we woke up at 3 AM to watch the festivities, and had tea & scones for breakfast!)

For the 2018 royal wedding, I made these with chocolate chips instead of dates, and we had some steamed eggs and very un-British coffee (in our Doctor Who mugs)!

And for the 2023 coronation of King Charles III, I made vanilla and pecan scones and served fresh blue hen soft-boiled eggs in our fancy egg cups and Edam cheese, with Harney & Sons Earl Grey tea in our PBS Britcom mugs (hand-me-downs from my in-laws).