Cream Scones with Raspberries and Hazelnuts

Ingredients

•        1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour    4 teaspoons baking powder
•        1/4 cup white sugar
•        1/8 teaspoon salt
•        1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts (walnuts or pecans work well too given your preference)
•        5 tablespoons unsalted butter 
•       1/2 cup milk
•        1/4 cup sour cream
•        1 egg
•      1 tablespoon milk

·        Filling:

•      4 tbsp of raspberry preserve (or other preferable fruit preserves like peach or strawberry)
•       8 oz of cream cheese softened
•        ¼ tsp vanilla
•        ¼ cup sugar

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt into a large bowl. Cut in the butter until the dough is in pea sized lumps using a pastry blender or cut in butter with two butter knives, alternating the cutting process between the two knives. Mix together 1/2 cup milk and sour cream in a measuring cup. Pour all at once into the dry ingredients, adding the nuts last and stir gently until well blended. Be sure not to overwork the dough.
3. Make the filling. With a blender, blend together the cream cheese, the sugar, and the vanilla until smooth. Set aside.
4. With floured hands, pat scone dough into 8-12 balls 2 to 3 inches across, depending on what size you want. Then cut the dough balls in half. Place onto a greased baking sheet, and flatten each ball lightly.
5. Top one dough round with the cream cheese mixture, then with the raspberry preserve and then sprinkle with nuts. Be sure to leave 1/2-inch plain border. Place 1 plain dough round on top each filling-covered round and then seal the edges. Half of your total rounds should be topped. (This can be made 1 day ahead of time. Be sure to wrap in plastic and chill).
6. The scones should barely touch each other. Whisk together the egg and 1 tablespoon of milk. Brush the tops of the scones with the egg wash. Let them rest for about 10 minutes.
7. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until the tops are golden brown, not deep brown and the scones are puffed.

Have you baked these delicious scones? Let me know what you think and

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