3/4 cup pastry flour (all-purpose is also fine)
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon aluminum-free baking powder*
1 teaspoon baking soda
6 ounces of butter, in 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup golden raisins plus 1 tablespoon caraway seeds -or- 1 cup fresh fruit of your choice, chopped (I used raspberries)
3/4 to 1 cup buttermilk (use the smaller amount if using fresh fruit, the larger if using the raisin-caraway combo)
Turbinado or sanding sugar for sprinkling (optional, not in the original recipe)
Preheat oven to 375°.
Place cubed butter in freezer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, measure other ingredients (except buttermilk and fruit) and mix in the bowl of a food processor.
Add butter to processor bowl and mix until the butter and flour mixture are the texture of coarse cornmeal. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a mixer and add buttermilk and fruit, mixing on the lowest speed until the dough just comes together.
Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently a couple times. Roll dough out to approximately one-inch thickness (I skipped the rolling pin and just patted it out with floured hands) and cut into squares. Cut those squares again on the diagonal, creating triangles. Sprinkle with coarse sugar, if you’re using it.
Bake on an ungreased baking sheet (mine stuck ever-so-slightly, so I might line it with parchment next time, though no biggie if you don’t) for 25 to 30 minutes, until lightly browned.
* If you use fresh fruit in a scone, it’s very important that you use an aluminum-free baking powder, or your scones will turn out as blue as mine did — not a pretty sight! Frankly, aluminum-free baking powder is always best to use, especially if you’ve noticed a tinny taste in your biscuits, muffins scones; it is avoidable.
via smitten kitchen
http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/09/the-north-fork-and-its-scones/