2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup (5½ TB) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Glaze:
1 large egg, beaten
1 tablespoon heavy cream

Preheat oven to 375 °F with rack in center of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly spray with a non-stick vegetable oil. To make the glaze, mix together the beaten egg with the cream. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut the butter into small pieces and blend into the flour mixture with a pastry blender, two knives, or fingertips. This mixture should look like coarse crumbs.

In a small measuring cup, combine the whipping cream, beaten egg and vanilla. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the liquid, stirring with a wooden spoon until the batter forms moist clumps. The batter will be sticky. Do not over mix.

Gather dough together with your hands and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Gently knead for about 10 seconds until dough forms a ball and is smooth. Pat dough into a 7 inch (17.5 cm) circle that is about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. Using a sharp knife, cut circle into 8 triangular sections. With a pastry brush, brush off excess flour from scones, and place scones on prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops of scones with the glaze and sprinkle lightly with sugar (if desired).

Bake for approximately 15 minutes, until lightly browned, or a toothpick inserted in the middle of the scone comes out clean. Remove from oven. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Makes 8 scones.

Variation:
(Add these ingredients after you have cut-in the butter to the dry ingredients and just before adding the liquid ingredients.)

• Add 1/3 cup dried red tart cherries, blueberries, or 1/3 cup chocolate chips.
• Add 1/3 cup dried cranberries plus 1 tablespoon grated orange zest.
• Add 1 tablespoon poppy seeds and 1 teaspoon pure almond extract (use instead of vanilla extract). Sprinkle tops of scones with sliced almonds before baking.
• Add 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest and 1 tablespoon poppy seeds.