Texas Peach Scones
By June Naylor
Photos by Ralph Lauer
Keller’s dining hot spot made a name for itself thanks to wine dinners, innovative menus featuring farm-fresh ingredients and a memorable brunch. While adjusting to the restaurant world’s new way of doing business, FnG Eats and chefs Bob Stephenson and Carlos Arevalo, used time off during the pandemic to refresh and update the dining space and the bar. Today, guests can dine in (in limited numbers) or choose from takeout options: dinner for two, “brown bag” specials, cocktail kits and more, plus brunch items, including seasonal scones. Make these pastries with ripe Texas peaches and serve them with peach-laced butter and perhaps a Bellini to celebrate the weekend.
Texas Peach Scones
Makes 13-14
- 1 cup fresh peaches, diced
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 3½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ tablespoon baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- ¼ cup coarse sugar, such as turbinado or sparkling sugar
Place diced peaches on a cookie sheet and freeze for 2 hours.
Also freeze butter for 2 hours. Sift flour twice; mix with baking powder, baking soda and granulated sugar in a metal mixing bowl and place in freezer for 1 hour.
Using a cheese grater, shred frozen butter into chilled dry ingredients, mixing with a fork until butter pieces resemble peas. Make a well in center of ingredients.
Mix buttermilk and vanilla extract in separate bowl and pour into well of dry ingredients. Combine with wooden spoon or rubber spatula to form a shaggy dough. “Shaggy” means the dough looks like a sticky mess; the dry ingredients are well-incorporated but the mixture is not smooth. Add frozen diced peaches, salt and lemon zest, gently combining to avoid crushing fruit.
Heat oven to 375 degrees with rack in middle. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place a 3-inch biscuit cutter on the cookie sheet. Spoon in enough batter to fill the cutter, pulling ring away to leave scone on pan. Repeat until pan is full, leaving 2 inches between scones. Sprinkle tops with coarse sugar, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until just golden brown. Transfer to cooling rack for 10 minutes before serving.
