Simple Scones

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a medium bowl, mix flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Grate butter into flour mixture on the large holes of a box grater; use your fingers to work in butter (mixture should resemble coarse meal), then stir in raisins.
In small bowl, whisk sour cream and egg until smooth.
Using a fork, stir sour cream mixture into flour mixture until large dough clumps form. Use your hands to press the dough against the bowl into a ball. (The dough will be sticky in places, and there may not seem to be enough liquid at first, but as you press, the dough will come together.)
Place on a lightly floured surface and pat into a 7- to 8-inch circle about 3/4-inch thick. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tsp. of sugar. Use a sharp knife to cut into 8 triangles; place on a cookie sheet (preferably lined with parchment paper), about 1-inch apart. Bake until golden, about 15 to 16 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature.

I cut the butter into small cubes and then used a pastry blender to cut it into the flour mixture.
Cranberry-Orange Scones - Add a generous teaspoon of finely grated orange rind (zest) to the dry ingredients and substitute cranberries for the raisins.
Lemon-Blueberry Scones - Add a generous teaspoon of finely grated lemon rind (zest) to the dry ingredients and substitute blueberries (dried or fresh) for the raisins. If you use fresh or frozen blueberries, add them when you place the dough on the floured surface. Place the dough on the floured surface, pat it out into a circle, sprinkle blueberries on top, fold dough over and lightly shape back into a circle. This method helps keep the blueberries from turning the dough purple. I also made a glaze out of powdered sugar and lemon juice to drizzle over the top of the scones when they are cool.
Cherry-Almond Scones - Add 1/2 teaspoon almond extract to the sour cream mixture and substitute dried cherries for the raisins.