SWEET CHERRY RYE SCONES

makes 8 scones
adapted from Izy Hossack
 
8 oz. fresh sweet cherries, rinsed, stemmed, pitted, and halved
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup dark rye flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3½ oz. cold, unsalted butter cut into ½” pieces
2 large eggs, room temperature
⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon plain yogurt
1 teaspoon cherry bitters
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
 *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *
1 or 2 tablespoons yogurt for brushing tops of scones
coarse sanding sugar for sprinkling
 
In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose and rye flours, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Whisk to combine. Using a bench scraper or your fingertips, add the butter to the dry mixture, cutting the butter into the flour mixture until it is the consistency of coarse cornmeal with some larger pieces of butter.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and yogurt until combined. Add the eggs/yogurt to the flour/butter mixture, tossing together gently with a fork, until you have formed a soft dough with a bit of the dry ingredients not completely incorporated. The idea is not to over mix the dough.
 
Sprinkle your clean countertop/work surface with all-purpose flour. Turn the dough out onto the counter and gently work it into a rectangle, about 15” long x 8” wide, incorporating the stray bits of dry flour from the mixing bowl. Use a bench scraper or an offset spatula to mark the dough into thirds. Place half of the cherries down the middle third of the dough. Fold the left third of the dough over the top of the cherries, covering them. Place the remaining cherries onto the flap of dough you used to cover the first layer. Take the right third of dough and cover the cherries. The “parcel” of scone dough alternates: dough/cherries/dough/cherries/dough.
 
Use a bench scraper to divide/cut the “parcel” into 8 equal rectangles. Place the scones on a parchment lined baking sheet, leaving some room between them. Brush the top of each scone with a little bit of yogurt, then sprinkle each scone with sanding sugar. Place the tray of scones in the freezer for 30 minutes before baking. This helps them hold their shape in the oven.   

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
 
Place the frozen scones on the middle rack of the hot oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through baking, until the scones are deeply golden brown. (Check the interior of one of the scones with a small paring knife to make sure the center of the scones are baked through; if not give them another few minutes.) Serve warm.