Apricot and White Chocolate Scones

Prep Time:20 Mins | Total Time:40 Mins | Makes:8 scones

Create a coffee shop favourite at home. Scones are simple to make and a delicious treat.

1 3/4 cups (675 mL) all-purpose flour

1/4 cup (50 mL) sugar

2 tsp (10 mL) baking powder

1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt

1/3 cup (75 mL) firm butter or margarine

1/3 cup (75 mL) finely chopped dried apricots

1/3 cup (75 mL) white vanilla baking chips

1 egg

About 1/3 cup (75 mL) half-and-half cream

1/3 cup (75 mL) white vanilla baking chips, melted

Heat oven to 400ºF. Lightly grease baking sheet with shortening or cooking spray. In large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until mixture looks like fine crumbs.
Reserve 2 tablespoons apricots for topping. Stir remaining apricots and 1/3 cup vanilla baking chips into crumbly mixture. Stir in egg and just enough half-and-half so dough leaves side of bowl and forms a ball.
On lightly floured surface, knead dough lightly 10 times. Pat or roll into 8-inch round on cookie sheet. Cut into 8 wedges, but do not separate.
Bake 14 to 16 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet; carefully separate wedges.
Place melted baking chips in small resealable food-storage plastic bag; seal bag. Cut off small corner of bag; pipe small amount of melted chips over scones. Sprinkle with reserved 2 tablespoons apricots. Pipe remaining melted chips over scones. Serve warm or cool.

Do Ahead: : Get a jumpstart on making scones. Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cut in the butter. Store the mix in the freezer in storage bags for up to two months. When you're ready to bake, place the mix in a bowl and continue with the recipe.