Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 2 tablespoons butter or 2 tablespoons margarine, melted
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 1/2 teaspoons strawberry preserves or 4 1/2 teaspoons raspberry preserves
• powdered sugar, for dusting

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400º. Lightly grease a baking sheet.

2. Beat egg slightly in a medium bowl. Add the milk, applesauce, butter, and almond extract, and stir until well blended. Add the flour, sliced almonds, sugar, baking powder and salt, and stir just until the batter is moist.

3. Drop 1/4 cupfuls of dough onto the baking sheet about 3 inches apart. Dust your fingers with flour and, using your dusted fingers, pat the dough into heart shapes about 3 inches wide and 1/2 inch high.

4. Dip the back of a spoon into the flour, and use the floured spoon to make a shallow well in the center of each heart. Place 1/2 teaspoon of preserves into each well [I used more like a full teaspoonful of preserves for each scone].

5. Bake at 400º for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the scones to a cooking rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar while still warm.

6. Serve warm.

7. TIPS - you can measure the ingredients the night before, so all you do is make and bake on serving day. Also, you can use vanilla extract instead of the almond extract.