CADET Recipe: Mess Hall Blueberry Scones

In response to re-sharing our recipes for Spicy Chicken Patty, Coooooorn Chowder and Congo Bar, we fielded a request for a recipe for another Mess Hall classic - the Blueberry Scone. If this were truly a “copy cat” USMA recipe, we’d have to provide guidance for how to produce the driest scones on Earth. However, we figured we would spare you the pain of that. Instead, below you’ll find a simple guide to the most perfect blueberry scone. It may not conjure the same nearly-choking-it’s-so-dry-and-crumbly dining experience you may recall from your cadet days, but we hope it will trigger some positive nostalgia (or least an enjoyable snack) nonetheless.

BLUEBERRY SCONES RECIPE

Time Needed: 60 min | Yield: 8 scones

INGREDIENTS

2 cups AP flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 and 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, frozen
1/2 cup heavy cream (plus 2 tbsp. for brushing)
1 large egg
1 and 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 heaping cup fresh blueberries
for topping: coarse sugar

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
Grate the frozen butter using a box grater. Add it to the flour mixture and combine with your fingers until the mixture comes together in pea-sized crumbs.
In a small bowl whisk together the heavy cream, egg, and vanilla extract. Drizzle over the flour mixture, add the blueberries, then mix together.
Pour onto the counter work dough into a ball. If it’s too sticky, add a little more flour. If it seems too dry, add more heavy cream. Press into an 8-inch disc and, with a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut into 8 wedges.
Place scones on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper 2-3 inches apart and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat over to 400°F.
Brush scones with remaining heavy cream and for extra crunch, sprinkle with coarse sugar.
Bake for 22-25 minutes or until golden brown around the edges and lightly browned on top.

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