Scones

Recipe #3 of kingarthurflour.com Best Basic Recipe Collection is SCONES! I will eat any scone from plain to savory to sweet (sweet will always be the favorite, of course). The secret with scone dough is to handle it as little as possible to keep those littles bits of butter nice and cold until they hit the oven. This is a basic recipe and you can choose your mix-ins and flavoring, this time I used 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips and vanilla. Next time I might use raisins, pecans, and maple, oh, that sounds amazing!

Dough
2¾ cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 Tbl baking powder
1/2 cup cold butter
1-2 cups chopped dried fruit, chocolate or other flavor chips, nuts, or combination
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla or flavoring of choice
1/2 – 2/3 cup half-and-half or milk

Topping
2 tsp milk or half-and-half
2 Tbl sparkling sugar or cinnamon-sugar, optional

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Cut in butter just until mixture is unevenly crumbly; it’s OK for some larger chunks of butter to remain unincorporated. Stir in the fruit, chips, and/or nuts, if you’re using them. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, vanilla or other flavor, and half-and-half or milk. Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients and stir just until all is moistened and holds together.

Line a baking sheet with parchment or silpat; if you don’t have either, just use pan without greasing it. Sprinkle a bit of flour atop the parchment or pan. Put dough onto floured parchment or pan, and divide it in half. Round each half into a 5″ circle. Brush each circle with milk, and sprinkle with coarse sparkling sugar or cinnamon-sugar, if desired. Using a knife or bench knife that you’ve run under cold water, slice each circle into 6 wedges. Carefully pull wedges away from center to separate them just a bit; there should be about 1/2″ space between them, at their outer edges.

For best texture and highest rise, place pan of scones in freezer for 30 minutes, uncovered. Chilling scones relaxes the gluten in the flour, which makes scones more tender and allows them to rise higher. It also chills fat, which will make scones a bit flakier. While scones are chilling, preheat oven to 425°F with a rack in the upper third.

Bake scones in upper part of your oven for 18 to 23 minutes, or until they’re a light golden brown. Remove scones from oven, and cool briefly on pan. Serve warm. They’re delicious as is, but add butter and/or jam, if you like.

When scones are completely cool, wrap them in plastic and store at room temperature for up to several days. To reheat room-temperature scones, place on a baking sheet, tent lightly with foil, and warm in a preheated 350°F oven for about 10 minutes.

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Sun Dried Tomato, Basil and Feta Scones

A savory scone, perfect with salad or soup, brunch along side an omelet, or an afternoon snack. Quick to stir together and look at those pretty babies! Recipe from abigmouthful.com.

3 cups flour
2 Tbl baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
8 Tbl cold butter, cut into pieces
1¼ cup buttermilk
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
3/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, well drained, roughly chopped
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped

Preheat oven to 400°. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silpats. Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt. Cut in butter with pastry blender or two knives. Refrigerate 20 minutes. Gently mix buttermilk, feta cheese, sun dried tomatoes and basil into dry mixture, just until comes together, do not overmix. Turn out onto lightly floured surface, divide in half. Roll each half into 7″ diameter circle, about 1″ thick. Cut each circle into 8 triangles. Place on prepared pans. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until they are puffed and browned on top.

One Year Ago: Orange Coconut Pecan Cake

Two Years Ago: Sprinkle Cookies

Three Years Ago: Chocolate Sheet Cake

If you are interested in Demarle bakeware and kitchen tools such as Silpat & Perforated Baking Sheet please visit mydemarleathome.com/kristenparker or simply click on the Demarle at Home logo below.

Valentine Treats

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Show your LOVE through baking of sweet treats! Here are some ideas to whip up for your Valentine! Click on a picture to get the recipe.

For the Love of PUMPKIN!

For the love of PUMPKIN! Click on a picture to get the recipe. Which is your favorite?

     

     

     

     

      

     

     

     

One Year Ago: Banana Cake with Vanilla Bean Frosting

Two Years Ago: Baked Apple Cider Donuts

Spiced Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Scones

We live in the Northwest, so days in the fall without rain are precious and appreciated. As of today, we have had 10 straight days without rain, I am loving it! (I know I just jinxed it) I do realize that the rain is why it is so green and gorgeous here, but some days it feels a little dreary. I am sitting in my kitchen right now, looking out at a fairly bright (rain free) fall afternoon with trees dressed in their beautiful fall colors, and there are pumpkin chocolate chip scones in the oven! All is right here in my little part of the world. ;o)

 

2¾ cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 Tbl baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1/2 cup cold butter
1 cup mini chocolate chips
2/3 cup canned pumpkin
2 large eggs

In large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice. Cut in butter just until mixture is crumbly; it’s OK for some larger chunks of butter to remain unincorporated. Stir in chocolate chips. In another bowl, whisk together pumpkin and eggs till smooth. Add pumpkin/egg to dry ingredients and stir until all is moistened and holds together.

Line a baking sheet with silpat; if you don’t have silpat, just use it without greasing it. Sprinkle a bit of flour atop silpat or pan. Turn out dough onto pan, and divide it in half. Round each half into a 5″-6″ circle. The circles should be about 3/4″-1″ thick. Brush each circle with milk, and sprinkle with sparkling sugar or cinnamon sugar, if desired. Slice each circle into 6 wedges. Carefully pull wedges away from center to separate them just a bit; there should be about 1/2″ space between them. For best texture and highest rise, place pan of scones in freezer for 30 minutes, uncovered. While scones are chilling, preheat oven to 425°.

Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown and toothpick inserted into center of one comes out clean, with no wet crumbs. If you pull one of the scones away from others, edges should look baked through, not wet or doughy. Serve warm. Wrap any leftovers airtight, and store at room temperature. Reheat very briefly in microwave, if desired. Makes 12 scones. Recipe from kingarthurflour.com.

One Year Ago: Sweet Honey Butter Rolls

If you are interested in Demarle bakeware and kitchen tools such as the Silpat & Perforated Baking Sheet please visit mydemarleathome.com/kristenparker or simply click on the Demarle at Home logo below.

Raspberry Scones

There is something wonderful about a flaky pastry with a touch of sweetness and maybe a little tartness.  The trick to these scones is keeping everything cold…or frozen.  Cold butter, frozen raspberries, cold pastry, this creates a flaky scone and keeps the raspberries from melting into a juicy mess, I speak from experience.  Remember, with this recipe – Keep it Cool!

This recipe adapted from chow.com

                       

                       

2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, cut into small cubes then chilled
3/4 cup heavy cream, cold
1 cup frozen raspberries, kept in freezer until ready to use

Line baking sheet with Silpat or parchment paper, set aside. Lightly flour a large plate, set aside.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Cut cold butter into flour mixture with pastry blender or two knives.  Pour cold cream over flour, using your fingers, mix until just incorporated and a rough, slightly sticky mound has formed (not all of the flour will be incorporated).  Turn all dough and loose flour out onto work surface and gently knead until most of flour is incorporated and the dough just holds together (careful not to overwork it, warmth from hands will melt butter).  Using your hands, form dough into rectangle.  Roll dough into 8″x10″ rectangle, if the dough cracks, push back together.

Take raspberries from freezer, evenly arrange them in single layer over lower two-thirds of rectangle, and press them into the dough (it’s OK if some break).  Fold dough lengthwise into thirds, gently pressing on layers as you go (pictures above).  With rolling pin, gently roll dough into an even 1″ high block. If the ends become tapered, square them with your hands.  Slice dough crosswise (do not saw back and forth) into 4 equal pieces.  Cut each piece diagonally to form 2 triangles.

Transfer scones to floured plate and place in freezer for 15 minutes.  While scones are in freezer, heat oven to 400°.

Remove scones from freezer and transfer to prepared baking sheet, setting them 2″ apart.  Brush thin layer of cream over tops of scones and sprinkle with sugar.  Bake until golden brown on top and bottom, about 20 minutes (cover with foil with about 5-7 minutes baking time remaining.  Let cool 5 minutes on baking sheet, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

One Year Ago Today:  Oatmeal Wheat Bread with Sunflower Seeds

If you are interested in Demarle bakeware and kitchen tools such as the Roul’Pat & Beechwood Rolling Pin or Silpat & Perforated Baking Sheet please visit mydemarleathome.com/kristenparker or simply click on the Demarle at Home logo below.

 

Orange Cranberry Scones with Orange Glaze

I love scones!  Well, the truth is, I love all bread.  This is a great combination of tart and sweet, but not too sweet.  If you are like me, you will think two of these scones make the perfect dinner, so good!

Scones:
2 cups flour
3 Tbl sugar
1 Tbl grated orange peel
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup cold butter
1 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 egg

1 Tbl heavy cream (to brush over scones)
raw sugar to sprinkle over scones

Glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1-2 Tbl orange juice

Preheat oven to 400°.  Combine flour, sugar, orange peel, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  In small bowl, combine cranberries, orange juice, cream and egg.  Add to flour mixture and stir just until soft dough forms.  On floured surface, gently knead 6-8 times.  Pat dough into 8″ circle.  Cut into 10 wedges.  Place wedges on Silpat lined perforated sheet or baking sheet.  Brush with cream and sprinkle with raw sugar.  Bake 13-15 minutes or until lightly browned.  Combine powdered sugar and orange juice for glaze and drizzle over scones.

If you are interested in Demarle bakeware and kitchen tools such as the Silpat & Perforated Baking Sheet please visit mydemarleathome.com/kristenparker or simply click on the Demarle at Home logo below.

 

Orange Cranberry Currant Scones

Pretty little scones.  Pretty to look at and delicious to eat.

Orange Cranberry Currant Scones

1¾ cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
5 Tbl cold butter, in pieces
1/4 cup finely chopped craisins
1/4 cup currants
zest of 1 orange
juice from 1 orange plus enough buttermilk to make 2/3 cup
buttermilk and sparkle sugar (or regular sugar)

Preheat oven to 400°.   Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Cut cold butter into dry ingredients.  Stir in craisins, currants, and orange zest.  Squeeze juice of orange into liquid measuring cup and add buttermilk to make 2/3 cup.  Stir juice and buttermilk into dry ingredients just until moistened.  Gently roll out on floured surface to 1/2” thick.  Cut and place on cookie sheet.  Brush tops with buttermilk and sprinkle with sugar.  Bake for 12 minutes.  Makes 12 2½” diameter scones.  Can substitute mini chocolate chips for craisins and currants.

If you are interested in Demarle bakeware and kitchen tools such as the Roul’Pat & Beechwood Rolling Pin or Silpat & Perforated Baking Sheet please visit mydemarleathome.com/kristenparker or simply click on the Demarle at Home logo below.