Have you ever eaten a scone and wished that it didn’t make so many damn crumbs? Well, I have. An important characteristic in breakfast, especially on the weekdays, is that it be portable. Not portable like a granola bar that I can eat in two bites on the bus in the morning, but portable enough that I can eat at my desk either with plastic utensils or without leaving an embarrassing trail of crumbs from my mouth to the keyboard.

If I had to write rules for breakfast – or if I chose to write rules for breakfast, I would require that breakfast be bite-sized, portable, crumb-free, utilize minimal dishes and be easily scooped from its dish with a fork or a spoon.

Whether breakfast is a banana at your desk, yogurt topped with homemade granola or a spinach and cheese strata, it’s the first meal you’re eating all day. The beginning of each day shouldn’t be rushed. The prospect of the day ahead shouldn’t fill you with dread or imake you wish you could pull your covers back up over your head and drift back to dreamland.

Starting your day with something you enjoy – a cup of coffee with your favorite creamer, a vigorous spinning class at the gym or morning cuddles with your partner, puppy, or kids – makes whatever lies ahead of you seem a little more manageable. Starting your day with a small pleasure (as banal as the expression “small pleasure” may be) really does set the mood for your day.

These scones, baked in muffin tins, are moist and less crumbly than the average scone. The dried apricots add more than just a punch of color; they add sweetness and texture to these classic scones in muffins’ clothing.

Apricot Mini-Muffin Cream Scones

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 Tbp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup dried apricots, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. In a large bowl, sift four dry ingredients together.

2. Make a well in dry ingredients. Pour in heavy cream and combine w a few swift strokes. Handling the dough as little as possible, turn oto a slightly floured surface and pat to 3/4 inch thick.

3. To make classic wedge-shaped scones, pat into an 8-inch round and cut into 8-12 wedges. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Sprinkle with sugar, if desired, and bake until golden, about 15 minutes. For mini-muffin scones, divide dough into 8-12 small pieces and press into muffin cups or a lightly greased muffin tin. Bake about 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

Tagged as: apricot, apricot muffin, Apricot scones, cream scones, dried apricot, mini muffin, mini scones, scones