Battenberg Scones

Based on Queen Victoria's favorite high tea cake, these scones have a subtle cherry flavor which fuses with the thin layers of vanilla buttercream, apricot preserves, and almond marzipan on top in what can only be described as magical alchemy.

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Keyword: Fall, October, September

Prep Time: 40

Cook Time: 18

Total Time: 40

Servings: servings

Calories: 367kcal

Author: Pah

Cost: $4.32 for 8

Equipment

Ingredients

Vanilla Buttercream Layer

3 tbsp Butter or Crisco
1 cup Powdered sugar
½ tsp Almond extract

Almond Marzipan Layer

¾ cup Almond flour
½ cup Powdered sugar
½ tsp Almond extract
1 ¾ tbsp Water

Apricot Preserve Layer

⅓ cup Apricot preserves

Wet Ingredients

½ cup Whole milk*
1 tsp Cherry extract Can substitute cherry juice from canned or bottled cherries.
1 Egg, large

Dry Ingredients

1 ½ cups All purpose flour
¼ cup Granulated sugar**
2 ¾ tsps Baking powder
¼ tsp Baking soda
⅜ tsp fine sea salt 1/4 + 1/8 tsps
4 tbsps butter***

Instructions

Vanilla Buttercream Layer

This should be prepared at least two hours before you start making the scones or the night before.
Leave the butter out at room temperature to soften, but not melt. You can use Crisco instead of butter if you prefer not to refrigerate the scones when they're done.
Sift the powdered sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer or a medium sized bowl if you're using a hand mixer.
Add the butter and almond extract and mix with a flat blade until the mixture forms into beads. Then continue to mix on high until it forms a ball.
Place the ball on a piece of parchment or wax paper at least 10" square.
Flaten the ball with your hand spreading it into as large of a circle as you can.
Plance another piece of parchment or wax paper at least 10" square on top of the buttercream.
Roll out the buttercream as thin as you can in a circle. It must be at least 8" and preferably 10".
Leave the parchment or wax paper on the top and bottom of the buttercream and save it in your refrigerator without bending it.

Almond Marzipan Layer

This too should be prepared at least two hours before you start making the scones or the night before.
Place the almond flour and powdered sugar in your food processor with a multi-purpose "S" blade. Pulse the ingredients a few times to combine them. Then process on high for 1 minute.
Combine the water and extract in a cup.
Add small amounts of the water/extract from the funnel of your food processor as you pulse the ingredients. Continue to pulse the ingredients until they come together in a loose ball.
Place the ball on a piece of parchment or wax paper at least 10" square.
Flaten the ball with your hand spreading it into as large of a circle as you can. Make sure there are on holes in the circle.
Plance another piece of parchment or wax paper at least 10" square on top of the Marzipan.
Roll out the marzipan as thin as you can in a circle. It must be at least 8" and preferably 10".
Leave the parchment or wax paper on the top and bottom of the Marxipan and save it in your refrigerator without bending it. You can place it on top of the buttercream layer in the refrigerator.

Apricot Preserve Layer

Just before you start to make the scones, put the apricot preserves and water in a small pan and cook on medium heat. It should bubble but not burn as it cooks.
Break up any clumps of fruit with a fork as it cooks and ocassionally stir the mixture while making the scones.
Take it off the burner to cool when it is a smooth, thick consistency that does not quickly drip from a spoon.

Wet Ingredients

Blend the milk, cherry extract, and egg with a milk frother or blender.
Transfer to a squeeze bottle and place in your refrigerator.

Dry Ingredients

Mix the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Slice the butter into chunks and mix with the dry ingredients.
Cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a butter cutter until the butter is the size of peas.
Put the bowl with the dry ingredients in your freezer for 15 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 400°.
Line your baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine the Wet and Dry Ingredients

Using the "tine method" (see video in step by step instructions above), combine the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until the ingredients are wet but still pea sized.

Form the Scones

Gently flip and press the ingredients in the bowl until they form one log.
Fold the log in half and move it to a silicone mat.
Using the guide of the measured circles on a silicone mat or a 7" ring, form the dough into a 7" circle by gently pressing from the center of the dough to the edges.
If using a 7" ring, swirl the ring around the dough a few times to firm the edges. If forming by hand, press the edges of the dough lightly with the flat side of a long knife to firm the edges.
Use a long serrated knife to make four equal cuts through the center of the dough to divide the dough into eight scones.
Slide the flat edge of the long knife under each scone and move it to the parchment paper on the baking sheet, leaving about 1" between each scone.

Bake the Scones

Place your baking sheet on a middle rack in your preheated oven and bake for 14 to 16 minutes at 400°.
While the scones are baking, one at a time take out the sheets of buttercream and marzipan. If you have an 8" ring, cut the layers using the ring, if not, cut them into 8" rings with the measured circles on a silicone mat. Then use a long serrated knife to divide each layer into 8 sections. Cover them again and place the layers back in the refrigerator.
Halfway through,check to see if one side is cooking faster than the other and, if so,turn the pan around in the oven and continue to bake. Remove the scones to a cooling rack when the center of the scones feel solid, not liquidy.

Topping the Scones

Wait about 5 minutes after the scones have come out of the over to top them with the 3 layers. You want the scones a little warm so that the buttercream layer forms onto the scone without melting.
Slide your long serrated knife under a section of the buttercream and place it on top a scone. It may be slightly larger than the top of the scone, that's okay. Do this for all 8 sections and scones. Then lightly press the edges of the buttercream with flat edge of the knife.
Use a spoon to put some of the apricot preserves on top of the buttercream layer on each scone. Spread it with a silicone brush or the spoon to a 1/4" of the edges. It will spread when you add the marzipan layer.
Slide your long serrated knife under each section of the marzipan and place it on top each scone. Then lightly press the edges of the marzipan with flat edge of the knife.

Storage

Cover any scones that will not be eaten right away. If you used butter, they should be stored in the refrigerator and will last about 5 days. If you used Crisco, they will last without refrigeration for about t das.. The will last for about 3 months in your freezer.
Let the scones cool completely cool before covering them with plastic wrap,
To thaw frozen scones, let them come to room temperature (about 30 minutes). These scones should not be microwaved.

Notes

*You can substitute Whole Milk, 2%, Almond, coconut, or Soy Milk .

**For a restricted sugar diet, you can put as little as 2 tbsp of sugar.

***You can use as much as 6 or as little as 2 Tbsps of butter.

Nutrition