Pane del Pescatore

We have arrived at the scones portion of the tea!  I based my recipe on one found in my Simply Scones book by Leslie Weiner and Barbara Albright called Scones a la Florence.  The book explains that these scones were "inspired by Pane del Pescatore (bread of the fisherman), a scone-like bread from Fornaio, a bakery off the Ponte Vecchio in Florence, Italy." 

(Ponte Vecchio itself!)

After a little internet research, it seems like this dense cookie-like bread was traditionally sold to fisherman who were going out to sea, thus the name "fisherman's bread." 

Pane del Pescatore

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 sticks butter

zest of 1 large lemon

zest from half of a medium sized orange

1 cup golden raisins

2 large eggs

2 tablespoon cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg yolk mixed with 1/2 teaspoon water for glaze

sliced almonds

1.  Preheat oven to 375.  Cover baking sheet with parchment paper.

2.  Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.  Whisk to combine.

3.  Cut in butter until resembles coarse crumbs.

4.  Whisk in zest and toss in raisins.

5.   Combine eggs, cream, and vanilla extract and add to mixture. Add extra cream a tablespoon at a time if needed to combine.

6.  Divide dough into roughly 12 round pieces.  Brush with egg yolk and top with almonds.

7.  Bake for 20 minutes.

I served these scones with faux clotted cream made with mascarpone (a soft Italian cheese, somewhat similar to a sweet and lighter textured cream cheese) and blood orange marmalade imported from Italy.