Vanilla bean almond scones

Rain, rain and more rain. The view from the big kitchen window is completely altered from just a week ago, and it's getting greener and lusher by the hour. The marsh is now entirely obscured, and the trees and shrubs are almost closing in on us.  I 'm already missing the long gray vistas, with the occasional flash of a scarlet cardinal, and being able to see turkeys roosting high in the pines.
We've become regular customers at Ceres Bakery since we arrived here last fall, and while we don't begrudge them one penny of what we've spent there, sometimes the challenge of making it yourself is fun, especially when the alternative is getting soaking wet.
This recipe is the same as the Maple Oat Nut Scones, which were a hit with all who tried them.  I switched out the maple extract and syrup for vanilla and almond extract, and replaced the pecans with almonds.  The vanilla beans and a dash of vanilla extract went into the glaze.  As I mentioned in the previous post, this time I upped the butter to 1/2 cup and added another tbsp of sugar.
Scones are traditionally on the dry side, and not too sweet.  It's part of their particular charm.  If you're looking for something moist and super sweet, these aren't for you.  But if you're feeling a bit peckish and have a nice cup of Earl Grey handy, these will do just fine.

Scones are pretty much instant gratification...they only bake for 13 minutes!  Everything about them is easy if you use a food processor to cut in the butter and briefly mix the dough till it comes together.  I always feel very thatched cottage on the Outer Hebrides when I slice the sturdy oat speckled dough into 8 wedges.