I don’t really know what’s going on this month. It’s nuts. Work is busy, though that’s normal, and my extra-curricular calendar is out of control. Next weekend, being Memorial Day, will kick off a summer of weekends at the lake, which could either way – forced relaxation or an increase to the mania. Time will tell.

I feel like I’ve barely been cooking or blogging beyond the weekly French Friday challenges, but here’s a quick one. The recent royal wedding left me with a craving for scones. Scones are probably my favorite quick bread. They’re personal-sized, not too sweet, and perfect with a cup of tea for a mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack. I put together these almond-cardamom scones, featuring two of my favorite flavors. The recipe is loosely based on the recipe for Cardamom Shortcakes (as in Strawberry Shortcakes) from In the Sweet Kitchen by Regan Daley.

Almond-Cardamom Scones
Inspired by Regan Daley
Makes 1 dozen

1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup almond meal
¼ cup sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp cardamom
½ tsp salt
½ cup (1 stick) butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg, beaten
½ cup half-and-half (plus a little more for brushing tops of scones)
Turbinado sugar for sprinkling on top of scones
¼ cup sliced almonds

Preheat the oven to 425F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together flour, almond meal, sugar, baking powder, cardamom, and salt a few time to combine. Add the butter, and pulse until the mixture has the texture of coarse cornmeal.

Transfer the flour mixture to a bowl and make a well in the center. Add the egg and half-and-half. Stir until the dough just comes together. It will be sticky.

Divide the dough in half. On a floured surface with floured hands, pat each half into a circle about ¾-inch thick (about 6 inches in diameter). Cut each circle into 6 wedges. Arrange the scones on the lined baking sheet. Brush the tops of each with half-and-half. Sprinkle with sugar. Top with sliced almonds. Press the almonds lightly to make them stick.

Bake for 15-17 minutes, until tops are golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.