The far-from-perfect recipe for the the most oh-so-perfect scones

The following recipe is aptly named because when you make it, you're surely going to think you did something wrong, but you are far from it. The eight year old I am baby sitting and I know this from experience. In fact, we had quite the production going on. Both of us were covered in flour, laughing so hard our guts hurt while attempting to spatula our creation off the counter, a step we omitted for your benefit. We also had to stop for disco dance breaks. 
Baking and music go hand in hand. I believe that when listening to the appropriate tune-age a person can become more inventive and inspired, two key ingredients in the recipe for a successful culinary adventure. So I've included a list of songs suggested for optimum baking results. 
Now before you write me off as some crazed cheese-ball cook, try these scones on for size. The chocolate chips give them the perfect hint of coco sweetness, while the craisins add a fruity tang. Something different and possibly, music to your taste buds.


Musical Scones Playlist

Here(In your arms)              by Hellogoodbye
Shake it                             by Metro Station
Nine in the afternoon         by Panic! At the Disco
Fallin' Apart                       by the All American Rejects
LDN                                   by Lilly Allen
Gone Daddy Gone              by Gnarls Barkley
Take it Home                     by The White Tie Affair 


Musical Scones Recipe

2 1/2 cups  All-purpose flour                    
3 tbsp        Sugar                                     
2 1/2 tsp    Baking powder                        
1/2 tsp       Baking soda                            
1/2 tsp       Salt   


1/2 cup   Very Cold butter
1 cup      Milk
1            Egg
2 tsp       Vanilla extract

1/2 Heaping cup Chocolate chips
1/2 Heaping cup Craisins

• Set out ingredients on a clean counter space. Fire up your computer and click on Itunes, turning up the music loud enough that you can hear it in your kitchen, but not enough so you can't hear yourself think. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F(200 degrees Celsius)

• Begin by taking out two large baking sheets. We used special silicone baking covers that you can get in places from grocery stores to wal-marts. However if you don't have some, dusting your pans with flour or covering them with parchment paper will work just as well. 

• Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. This is important because your leaveners will work better to lift your scones if they are distributed evenly. Also, do not skip the salt. You may think it does not make a difference. IT DOES. Salt is important to help create certain chemical reactions necessary for baking. Trust me, bakers are not out to heighten your blood pressure without reason. 

• Using your fingers, crumble the butter with dry mixture. we found this was a two person job, but if you are baking solo cube the butter before you stick your hands in the bowl and put a measuring cup, shaking a bit in as needed. All the dry mixture should be worked in, but don't fret if it's done evenly. The texture will be around an apple crumble.

• Measure out milk in a glass measuring cup twice the size that you need ( so a cup that can hold 2 cups). Crack egg into glass and whisk. When finished give yourself a pat on the back for not only saving water, but also for saving yourself some dishes! Whoot whoot!

• Pour milk and egg mixture over flour mix. Stir with a fork. It will probably look like a mess,  BUT DO NOT BE TEMPTED TO OVER MIX. Mix only until all the flour is gone. Add in the chocolate chips and craisins.  Don an apron and flour your hands. Make the most even ball of dough you can manage (don't worry if it's not perfect), deviding in half and placing one ball on each prepared pan.  squash down and spread out until about the height of double your thumbnail. Bake for eighteen to twenty minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from pan when baked and cut as you would a pizza for convienient and highly addictive wedges, or keep  whole in an airtight container for a quick breakfast the next day. 

Makes about eighteen large wedges

Don't forget to treat yourself to the first warm, chocolaty, buttery bite of your masterpiece and to turn down your stereo so as you can relax in baking bliss. The dishes can wait.  

May all your scones be golden,

Arctic hipster