Best Ever Scones

Preheat oven to 450°; stir together the first 4 ingredients in a big bowl.

Cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender until crumbly and mixture resembles small peas.

Freeze 5 minutes.

Add 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cream, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.

Turn dough out onto wax paper; gently press dough or pat dough into a 7-inch round (mixture will be crumbly).

Cut round into 8 wedges.

Place wedges 2 inches apart on a lightly greased baking sheet.

Brush tops of wedges with remaining 2 tablespoons cream just until moistened.

Bake for 13-15 minutes or until golden.

*Chocolate-Cherry Scones-stir 1/4 cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped, and 2 oz coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate with cream.

*Apricot-Ginger Scones-stir in 1/2 cup finely chopped dried apricots and 2 T finely chopped crystallized ginger with cream.

*Cranberry-Pistachio Scones-stir in 1/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries and 1/4 cup coarsely chopped roasted salted pistachios with cream.

*Brown Sugar-Pecan Scones-substitute brown sugar for granulated sugar; stir in 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans with cream.

*Bacon, Cheddar, and Chive Scones-omit sugar; stir in 3/4 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup finely chopped cooked bacon, 2 T chopped fresh chives, and 1/2 t freshly ground pepper with cream.

*Ham and Swiss Scones-omit sugar; stir in 3/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese and 3/4 cup finely chopped baked ham with cream.

*Pimento Cheese Scones-omit sugar; stir in 3/4 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese and 3 T finely chopped pimento with cream.

*Rosemary, Pear, and Asiago Scones-omit sugar; stir in 3/4 cup finely chopped fresh pear, 1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese, and 1 t chopped fresh rosemary with cream.