The perfect scone (if I do say so myself)

There are a few things I decided I wanted to be able to make that were THE best.  Scones are among that list, so after a few hits and misses over the years I think I've come up with a damn good scone recipe.  These are based on an Irish recipe with a few changes along the way.  It's an easy recipe to whip up on a Sunday morning and you can use the base recipe to make an infinite amount of flavour combinations.
I had a request from a good friend for this recipe to be featured so, Mike and Kathryn, here you go!

Sunday Sweet Scones

In a food processor: (use a large bowl and a pastry cutter if you don't have a food processor but for god's sake, get out and buy a damn food processor!)
2 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup sugar
approx. 1/2 tsp. fresh ground nutmeg (you can use pre-ground if that's what you have but try the fresh nutmeg, it's heavenly!)
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons veg shortening.
Whiz around in the food processor a couple times until butter and shortening are blended (or work yourself into a sweat with the bowl and pastry cutter)
In a 1 cup or larger glass measuring cup:
3/4 cup of cream (I use 10%)
1 egg
Mix the two together with a fork, turn food processor on and add liquid through spout.  The mixture will come together quickly and form a ball.  Stop processor and dump out onto a floured surface.

At this point you have many flavour options.  You can leave them plain, you can add raisins as I've done here because that's husband's favorite, you could do lemon zest with dried cranberry, you could add fresh blueberries or strawberries.  Really, the sky's the limit here.  Flour your hands up well and add raisins ( or whatever flavour you choose)  to your liking.   Then I pick up dough and make a ball, put in on a cookie sheet and flatten out with palm of my hand until about 1/2 inch (2 cm) thick.  I bake it as one big, round scone and slice afterwards.  You could also roll out on floured surface and use a glass to cut out round shapes if you are so inclined, too much work for me.
Bake 350 for 25 minutes or so but check after 20 minutes.  Once it starts turning a light golden brown it should be done.  If you overcook it will be too dry.
These are good plain, or with butter or butter and jam.

Happy Cooking!