Scones for Jam

A tasty vehicle with a speedy, no-nonsense topper.

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Let’s face it, scones are an excuse to eat jam. They need to be a hearty neutral base; tasty, flaky, and buttery on their own but only truly complete once topped generously with a fruity spread. I first made these scones as an easy breakfast for Linda Pugliese and myself on one of our photo shoots. We forgot how good scones can be and almost emptied a jar of jam coating every morsel. Luckily we paused long enough to get a few photos of them!

The scone recipe that follows is rather basic (we like it that way). But, it does use an easy layering technique that gives the scones more flakiness as well as spices and vanilla that add a depth of flavor that makes even naked bites yummy. We used plant-based butter and milk but feel free to go full dairy- no changes needed to the recipe. As for the jam, skip the boiling pots, canning jars, and freezer tests, the following recipe can be done in 12 minutes (not kidding!). It works for both berries and stone fruits equally well and makes a small batch (probably just enough for the batch of scones!) but feel free to double the recipe (and double the timing as well). As the summer fruits roll in, take 12 minutes while your scones are baking, make a batch of quick jam, then slather away!

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