Mini Thumbprint Jam Scones - Savory Sweet Life recipe

Mini Thumbprint Jam Scones

I'm going to see the Book of Mormon tonight! I'm sooo excited. It's touring in Los Angeles for a short time, and my friend and I were able to get some tickets. We'll be in the last row...but we'll be there! (This bit of news has nothing to do with these scones...but I'm so excited that I just wanted to tell you. ;)

These scones are from the pages of Alice Currah's Savory Sweet Life cookbook. Oh my! These scones are really soft and lovely. I love this scone and can't wait to try adding other delights like mini chocolate chips, zest or ginger.

These scones are from Alice Currah's Savory Sweet Life cookbook. Do you have it? It is beautifully photographed, and you can actually see yourself making many of the recipes! They look tasty, and yet not complicated. You can always find inspiration on her blog, Savory Sweet Life.

I made the full recipe, but froze half the dough. It's always nice to have some scones ready to bake off when you have a visitor. I made square scones instead of triangles.

These scones are topped with Shannon's homemade Nectarine Jam and Ha's Farm's Strawberry Jam. My friend Shannon makes some lovely jams (blue ribbon winners!), and hosted Gwendolyn and me in making raspberry jam (that post is quite delayed and I'll try to get that up soon).

For these scones, make sure your jam is on the thick side. At first, I made these with the raspberry jam. Um, they came out looking very interesting...the color from the jam bleed out around the circular indentation and left a ring around the jam. Well, because of the color and shape, the scones look like they might need a mammogram when they hit 40 years old. See what I mean?! You might be able to save it with the glaze, but just hear me when I say to use a thick jam.

You don't need to set out jam with these scones...it's built in! 

Mini Thumbprint Jam Scones
Adapted from Savory Sweet Life by Alice Currah

2 1/2 cups (350 grams) all-purpose flour (I used King Arthur's unbleached)
1/3 cup (65 grams) sugar
6 Tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, cold
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt (I used kosher)
1 cup heavy cream
1 egg
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup (or so) jam (I used Shannon's homemade nectarine jam and Ha's Farm Strawberry jam)

Glaze:
1/4 cup milk (I used almond milk)
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon almond extract (I didn't have any almond extract in the house (or it was missing!) so I used vanilla extract)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, salt.
3. Cut butter into cubes and scatter over dry ingredients. Using a pastry cutter, your fingers or two knives, quickly cut the butter into the flour mixture, until a coarse meal forms. You should see pea-size pieces of butter - don't overmix. Of course, you can do this in a food processor.
4. With a fork, mix together the heavy cream, egg and vanilla. Pour over the dry mixture and blend together until the dough comes together. Again, don't overmix.
5. If you wish to make mini triangles, divide dough into 4 balls and, on a floured surface, flatten into discs. Cut each disc into 4 wedges. I made square scones so I just made a square and cut them into 16 squares.
6. Place scones on a parchment paper-lined pan and made an indention in each scone. Spoon jam into each indention.
7. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden. Remove and transfer scones to rack to cool before glazing.
8. Whisk together the milk, powdered sugar and extract until free of lumps. Using a spoon or fork, drizzle glaze over scones. Enjoy!