You Look Good in Rosemary

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• Basic. Scone. Batter. Yum.

  This is a tweaked recipe from the Cook's Illustrated website. I use it as my basic scone batter recipe.
  
  INGREDIENTS:
  8 tbsp grated, frozen butter
  1/2 cup whole milk
  1/2 cup sour cream
  2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
  (1/2 cup sugar if a sweet scone)
  2 tsps baking powder
  1/4 tsp baking soda
  1/2 tsp salt (1 tsp salt if a savory scone)
  (ground black pepper if a savory scone)
  
  1) Prepare butter beforehand: Freeze 8 tbsp of butter pats until frozen through. Place the butter in Cuisinart and pulse over and over for about 2 seconds per pulse until the butter is broken into pieces about the size of the tip of your pinkie finger. Place butter in a plastic baggie and return to the freezer until needed.
  
  2) Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  
  3) Whisk together milk & sour cream in medium bowl. Put in the icebox until needed.
  
  4) Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl. Add sugar, if making sweet scones, or add pepper, if making savory scones. I usually put this dry mixture back into the icebox until needed.
  
  5) Add milk mixture to flower mixture; fold with spatula until just combined. With rubber spatula, transfer dough to liberally floured work surface. Dust surface of dough with flour; with floured hands, knead dough 6 to 8 times, until it just holds together in ragged ball, adding flour as needed to prevent sticking. (I just realized, I don't use NEARLY enough flour in this step).
  
  6) Roll dough into approximate 12-inch square. Fold dough into thirds like a business letter. Lift short ends of dough and fold into thirds again to form approximate 4-inch rectangle. Transfer dough to plate lightly dusted with flour and chill in freezer for 5 minutes.
  
  7) Transfer dough to floured work surface and roll with rolling pin into approximate 12-inch square again. (Here, you can sprinkle whatever goodies you're stuffing in your scones evenly over surface of dough). Roll dough, pressing to form tight log. Lay seam-side down and press log into 12 by 4-inch rectangle. Using sharp, floured knife, cut rectangle crosswise into 4 equal rectangles. Cut each rectangle diagonally to form 2 triangles and transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet.
  
  8) Bake until tops and bottoms are golden brown, 18 to 25 minutes. Transfer to wire rack or cool surface and let cool 10 minutes before serving.