New York City’s Danielle Sepsy has been anointed the Scone Queen. So, when she comes out with a cookbook full of recipes for all manner of scones, muffins, cookies, cakes, and breads, how can one possibly not hone in on a scone one to make first, right?
I think it would be sacrilege to do otherwise.
With summer at its peak, “Peach Almond Scones” was the one that cried out to me first and foremost with its jumble of fresh diced peaches and sweet pieces of almond paste baked into the dough.
Sepsy and scones have been synonymous since she was 13 years old when she started a business out of her family’s house selling scones to neighbors, friends, and local cafes. In 2022, she competed on HBO Max’s “The Big Brunch” cooking competition, where the judges crowned her the Scone Queen.
These days, she runs her own online bakery, The Hungry Gnome, through which she sells all manner of baked goods, including scones, of course.
Her debut cookbook, “The Scone Queen Bakes” (Alfred A. Knopf), of which I received a review copy, is filled with 100 recipes for treats such as “Lavender Lemon Scones,” “Red Bean Scones with A Sesame Crust,” “Chocolate Chip Pancake Muffins,” “Biscoff Apple Cheesecake Bars,” and “Snowball Ice Box Cake.”
The “Peach Almond Scones” can be made with canned peaches, too. But heck, at this time of year, definitely reach for the fresh ones from your farmers market.
Flour, sugar, and baking soda get whisked together before cold pieces of butter are cut in with a pastry cutter. Blot the peeled, diced fresh peaches with paper towels before gently tossing into the flour mixture with pieces of almond paste.
Gently stir in a mixture of heavy cream whisked with two egg yolks and a splash of vanilla extract. Turn out this sticky, shaggy dough onto your lightly floured surface. Pat into a round, then cut into eight pie wedge-shaped slices. Brush with beaten egg, top with slivered almonds, and a sprinkle of turbinado or raw sugar (or demerara sugar, which is what I used) before baking in the oven.
The scones bake initially at 400°F, before the temperature is turned down to 375° halfway through the baking time, giving them a burst of heat to rise before finishing baking.
The scones bake up crisp on the top and bottom, and fluffy and tender within — almost like that of drop biscuits.
They are not overly sweet. You get juicy bits of peaches here and there, plus a concentrated nutty taste on the finish.
I actually wished there was a little more peach in these scones. However, I’m guessing that might have made the dough much, much stickier and harder to work with.
But it’s simple enough to remedy that. Just spread a little peach jam on these scones for an extra hit of stone fruit. You’re in for a peach of a time.
Peach Almond Scones
(Makes 8 scones)
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine table salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 tablespoons very cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 cup of 1/2-inch chunks drained juice-packed canned peaches or peeled fresh yellow peaches
1/3 cup almond paste (I like Solo), but into 1/4-inch chunks
3/4 cup cold heavy cream
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Egg wash: 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk or cream
2 tablespoons raw or turbinado or demerara sugar, for sprinkling
1/4 cup slivered almonds
Preheat oven to 400°F (or 375°F on convection setting). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
Using a pastry cutter, cut the cold cubes of butter into the flour mixture until you have pea-size crumbs.
Gently pat the diced peaches dry between two paper towels. Using a fork, gently stir in the diced almond paste and peaches into the flour-butter mixture.
In a glass measuring cup or a small bowl, whisk together (with a fork or whisk) the heavy cream, egg yolks, and vanilla until just combined.
Using a fork, make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour the cream mixture into the center of the well and stir with the fork from the outside inward, gently, just until the dough comes together. Use your hands to gently gather the dough into a shaggy ball. This scone flavor if more fragile and requires a more gentle touch as the peaches are wet and juicy. This dough should be baked right away.
Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface or piece of parchment paper and use floured hands to gather the dough together and flatten it into a disc 6 1/2 inches in diameter.
Use a sharp chef’s knife to cut down into the dough to divide the dough into 8 equal triangular wedges (like a pizza).
Use a pastry brush to lightly coat the tops of the scones with the egg wash. Sprinkle the tops with the raw sugar and the slivered almonds.
Arrange the scones on the lined pan about 1 1/2 inches apart. Transfer to the oven.
Bake for 12 minutes. Quickly rotate the pan from front to back, reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (or 350°F on the convection setting) and bake for 6 to 8 minutes, until the scones are golden brown on the edges and cooked through.
Remove from the oven and let them cool on the pan for about 10 minutes before serving. Scones are best served warm! To reheat , place in a 350°F oven for 5 to 7 minutes or until warmed through.
Storage: These scones are best the same day you make them due to the fruit, but you can keep them in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Adapted from “The Scone Queen Bakes” by Danielle Espy
More Peach Recipes to Enjoy: Peach Blueberry Cake
And: Peach-Nectarine Buttermilk Ice Cream
And: Lofty Peaches & Granola Galette
And: Peach Hand Pies by Cheryl Day
And: Peach Tart by Food52
And: Peachy Pork or Veal with Pomegranate Molasses and Charred Onions by Melissa Clark
