This recipe for the Farmhouse Inn’s famous scones, featured in the Top 3 Boutique Hotels in Sonoma for Foodies, can be easily modified to incorporate seasonal ingredients like dried or fresh fruit, nuts, chocolate and spices; just mix in when you add the cream.  You can also dress them up by brushing them with cream and sprinkling them with sugar before baking, or drizzling them with a simple glaze of powdered sugar mixed with cream, citrus or spices after baking.   Makes 12.

• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 sticks chilled unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 3/4 cups heavy cream

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine all dry ingredients into an electric mixer or food processor. Pulse until just combined. Add in butter, mixing or pulsing on low until resembling a fine meal. Add the cream in the same method. (The trick to these scones is to never over mix them. You want the dough very crumbly). Turn out onto parchment paper or lightly floured surface. Gently form into a round disk approximately 1 1/2 inch thick. Cut disk into half and then cut each half into 6 wedges for a total of 12 scones. Bake scones on parchment lined baking sheet in center of oven for 12-16 minutes until the bottoms of the scones are golden brown.  Serve warm with fresh butter, lemon curd and piping hot organic single origin coffee from Taylor Maid Farms.

– Taste of Adventure