Red Velvet Scones

Valentine's Day is around the corner and while chocolate and roses maybe the most sought after, I like to start the day with breakfast, so I  came up with a special scone for the occasion. In addition, Go Red for Women in February has become as popular as the pink ribbon for breast cancer in October and I wanted to emphasize this as much as the one day we exchange gifts of love.

My Grandma Gladys died, at age 72,  of heart disease in 1973, the day before our daughter Kelly turned one year old.  Because of her condition, she never even got to hold her youngest great-granddaughter--something that made me extremely sad.  Awareness and prevention is the focus of various events that are held all over the country in hopes that one day heart disease and stroke will be a thing of the past;  heart disease still remains the #1 killer of women, ahead of the top three cancers.

Red Velvet Scones
4 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
2 T. Dutch-processed cocoa
1 T. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. salt
10 T unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/3 buttermilk
1 large egg
2 tsp. Red Velvet Cake Flavor (or 1 T red food coloring)

3 T. half & half
Sparkling Sugar
Preheat oven to 400F-degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a stand mixer, with a paddle attachment, mix all the dry ingredients.  Add the butter pieces, in batches, until it is mixed into the dry ingredients.  Whisk the egg and Red Velvet Cake Flavor (or food coloring) into the buttermilk.  While the mixer is running, slowly add the buttermilk mixture and beat just until the dough comes together.  Transfer the dough to a lightly floured bread board and knead a few times until the dough is smooth.  Roll out the dough to 3/4-inch thick and cut with a round or heart-shaped cookie cutter.

Transfer scones to a baking sheet and brush the tops with the half & half, then, sprinkle with the sparkling sugar.

Bake in the preheated oven 15 to 17 minutes until done.  Let cool while you make the Mock Devonshire Cream (optional, but sooooo good!)

Mock Devonshire Cream
8 oz. pkg. of cream cheese
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tsp. lemon zest
2 tsp. lemon juice

In a stand mixer, using the whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy.  While the mixer is running, slowly add the heavy cream.  When the cream cheese and heavy cream are thoroughly combined, add the confectioners' sugar, lemon zest and juice.  Start the mixer on low and gradually speed up to high to whip the cream.  Place in a bowl and serve with the scones.  Additionally, you could also have some raspberry or strawberry jam to top the cream!

After breakfast, take a walk with the one you love for exercise...and some alone time--it's good for the heart.  Enjoy! 

Ginger~Pear Scones

The calendar may still say it's Fall, but if you go by the cold temperatures, early snowfalls, and frosty mornings, you'd swear we're already into Winter.  I know that's what I'm feeling as a icy rain falls this morning...not to mention my next-door neighbor has already lit up their house with Christmas lights-LOL!

Also, you may have noticed the changes of fruits in your local markets.  Apples, cranberries, and pears are bountiful, replacing the stone fruits, and  since I like to use what is local, I turned to pears to create a warm scone for my breakfast.  The cultivation of pears in cool temperature climates may date back to prehistoric times, although earliest notes of the use of pears is found in early Roman "cookbooks," where it was stewed with herbs for meals.  Our present day pear is thought to have originated in Western China, in the foothills of Tian Shan and spread to the north and south along that mountain range.  What we know as the Asian Pear is often confused with apples, but one bite will tell the difference.  This morning, I had a ripened Bartlett, but a Bosc or even Asian Pear would have been just as delightful.

Ginger~Pear Scones
4 cups (+more for kneading) King Arthur all-purpose flour
1 T + 1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. Kosher salt
2 tsp. ground Ginger
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 cup brown sugar (light or dark), packed
2/3 cup (10 1/3 T) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

3 T Molasses
1/3 cup Ginger Mini Chips (or diced candied ginger)
1 cup + 1 T Half & Half
1 large egg
1 pear, peeled, cored, and cut in 1/2-inch pieces

Preheat oven to 375F-degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a stand mixer, using a paddle attachment, combine 3 1/2 cups of flour and the next seven dry ingredients.  Add the butter "cubes" and mix on low speed to incorporate.  The mixture will still have some same pieces of butter, but be mostly mixed to a rough state.
Add the molasses and ginger chips and mix about 1 minute to incorporate.  Whisk together the egg into the measurement of the half & half and with the mixer running, slowly pour the egg/milk into the dry ingredients, reserving about 2 Tablespoons of it for brushing the tops of the scones before baking.

Stir 1/2 cup flour into the diced pears.  Use a spatula or dough blade to incorporate into the scone mixture.

Place dough on a floured board and lightly knead until smooth--do not overwork the dough.

Roll dough out to about a 10-inch circle, 3/4 to 1-inch thick.

Use a 4-inch scalloped cutter to cut the dough.  Place on the parchment lined baking sheet.  I was able to get 9, but if you like them "fatter" you may only get 8.

Brush tops with the reserved egg/half & half mixture, then, sprinkle with Sparkling Sugar Crystals.

Bake in preheated oven 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

There's nothing like a warm scone with a cup or tea, coffee or cocoa to take the chill off.  I know, from experience, that just baking warms the heart and these scones warm the stomach.  I had mine with some butter and my Cherry-Cranberry Jam.

Take time during this busy holiday season (that has been pushed upon us) to get back to the memories that warm your heart. Enjoy!


 

Cranberry~Hazelnut Scones

I feel, baking should always coincide with the season and this morning, exemplifying Fall so vividly, I turned to fresh cranberries to add flavor to these scones.

Cranberries are one of only three fruits indigenous to America (the other two are huckleberries and Concord grapes) and I can't wait until the bogs have been flooded and these wonderful, ruby-colored berries appear in the market.  In the Pacific Northwest, we're lucky enough to be able to get them locally (Oregon) and along with hazelnuts, which are also a product grown here, these scones are filled with the goodness of the season.

One of my favorite "anniversary" trips with my husband was to Nantucket when we lived in Massachusetts.  Because of our schedules, we couldn't get away in September, but chose the end of October to take the ferry across to the island.  It was the perfect time to take part in the Cranberry Festival and sample all the products--cakes, breads, relishes, chutneys, syrup, wine etc.  The list is really too numerous, but pretty much anything can be made from these fruits including soaps and body creams!

The name cranberry comes from early settlers who thought the flower, stem and calyx resembled the neck, head and bill of a crane.  It's a low growing shrub, usually in marshy areas, and can be found in most parts of the northern hemisphere.  It's been deemed a "super fruit" because of its nutrient value: high in dietary fiber and minerals, Vitamin C and manganese.  Also, it ranks near the top of fruits for its high measure of anti-oxidant properties.

Take heed and notice what ingredients are present in your area to use in your cooking and baking during the season.  Buying local not only supports our farm families, it's the smart thing to do for a healthy lifestyle.

Cranberry~Hazelnut Scones
2 cups Queen Guinevere Cake flour
1 1/2 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
1/3 cup + 1 T granulated sugar
1 T + 1tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. Kosher salt
1/4 cup hazelnut flour (if you can't find hazelnut, you can also finely grind almond or pecan)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes

1 1/3 cups heavy cream
1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk
1/2 tsp. Orange oil

1 1/2 cups cranberries, washed and sliced in half

Egg wash:
1 large + 1 tsp. cold water
Sparkling Sugar
Preheat oven to 375F-degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment.
In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, measure and mix all dry ingredients.  Add the cubed, cold butter and mix on medium speed until the butter has broken down and is incorporated in the dry ingredients.  

In a 2-cup measuring cup, measure the heavy cream, then, add the orange oil, egg and egg yolk.  Whisk to combine.

 Add to the dry ingredients, while the mixer is on low speed.  Mix only until the dough comes together.  Turn dough out on a lightly floured board and knead carefully to a smooth disk.  

Flour a rolling pin and roll dough to about 3/4-1 inch thick.  Use a 4-inch scallop cutter to cut out scones.

 Repeat, kneading the scrapes of dough, until you've cut out all scones.  I was able to get 8 out of this recipe.
Brush tops with the egg wash and sprinkle with the Sparkling Sugar.

Bake in the preheated oven 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving. 

I made these for my breakfast this morning, slathered in Irish Butter and a heaping spoon of my Spiced Apple Butter, along with a cup of yogurt (sprinkled with some of my leftover Krispie Crunch) it was a perfect start to the day.

...I only wish I had some Fayette Cream for my scone that I got hooked on while in Kentucky with Kelly.  If anyone has a recipe...will you share??  Enjoy!

Tea Time Blueberry Scones & A Special Give-Away

In the Summer of 1989, we took a family trip to "the Gold country" through Northern California and I planned the whole trip with B & B's that were listed in a cookbook I had just bought--The American Country Inn and Bed & Breakfast Cookbook by Kitty and Lucian Maynard.  Our first stop was a little town called Murphys and Dunbar House, 1880 B & B.  It appealed to me because it was where the television series, "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" was filmed and since that was my husband's favorite movie, it seemed a perfect place to begin.

However, it was at our second location, Jameson's: A Bed and Breakfast Inn in Sonora, California that my love of tea cups began.  Each morning and afternoon, tea was served in their antique collection of tea cups and learning what to look for in collecting these endearing samples of history was shared.  I bought my first tea cup at an antique store in the town.  My collection has grown to sixteen through the years, with my eyes still on the lookout for the unusual, but valuable tea cups.  The collection needed a place to display them and I found a lovely Victorian bow-front cabinet (a little more expensive than the tea cups :-D) that is the center of my dining room.

This morning, I created a blueberry scone to go along with a cup of tea, especially when you have a dear friend or sister visiting, although, my grandson Ari, would also love these anytime!  I thought it would be perfect to show off a "Bonus Apron Give-Away" for May with tea-cups as the main fabric and an array of desserts for the contrast.

There's just a few days left in May to post, but I will put in all the names that have commented this month in the drawing.  Good Luck!

Tea Time Blueberry Scones
3 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 T + 1tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. Kosher salt
10 T cold unsalted butter
1 large egg
3T heavy cream
1-6oz carton of plain Greek yogurt
3/4 to 1 cup dried blueberries

Glaze:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
5 to 7 T hot water
1 vanilla bean, split and scrape (or 1 tsp. Vanilla extract)
1/2 tsp. Almond extract

Preheat oven to 375F-degrees.  Place dried blueberries in a 2-cup glass measure and cover with water.  Microwave for 1 minute and let set while you prepare the dough.

In a stand mixer, using a paddle attachment, measure the dry ingredients.  Cube the cold butter into 1/2-inch pieces and add to the dry ingredients.

Mix on med/low speed until the butter is incorporated. You should still see some small pieces of butter.
Whisk the egg in a glass measure and add 3 (or more) tablespoons of heavy cream to equal one-half cup of liquid.  Add the egg mixture and the carton of yogurt to your dough and mix just until it comes together.  Drain well the blueberries and add to the dough.

Turn dough out onto a wooden board which has been lightly floured.  

Being careful not to overwork the dough, bring it together, then, roll it to approximately a 9-inch circle that is 3/4 to 1-inch thick.  At this point, you can cut it into 8 pie-shaped wedges, or roll into a rectangle and cut into squares, then, triangles, or use a biscuit cutter to cut circles.
Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, with about an inch spacing between the scones.  Use a wooden skewer to poke holes into the scones before brushing with an addition 1-2 T heavy cream.

Bake in the preheated oven 16 to 18 minutes, rotating the baking sheet once during baking.  Let cool about 5 minutes (while you mix up the glaze.)

The glaze should be thin enough to brush on and cover the sides.  I sprinkled some sliced almonds on top, but you can omit that or add your favorite topping.

That week in Northern California was one of our favorite trips.  No television, fun times exploring, and lots of great food.  Memories remembered.  Enjoy!
 

Scone Nibbles

Todays recipe comes from King Arthur Flour. You can download a copy by going to: http://www.kingarthurflour.com/ and click on "recipes".

This is the second time I've made these Scone Nibbles and I have to tell you, they've come out perfect each time.

I love scones. They're not too sweet...just enough to satisfy. My first attempt at scones was a recipe my Great grandmother Caroline made. My mother passed the recipe down to me with the story how she looked forward to them when she went to visit. They had a wood stove, and if anyone can remember, these stoves had a compartment that was what we'd deem a "warming drawer". It kept baked goods perfect!

My Great Grandmother's Recipe is called "English Tea Scones"

4 cups all purpose flour

2 T. sugar

4 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

2/3 cup cold unsalted butter

1 1/3 cups half-&-half

1 large egg

1/4 cup raisins, or currents, (or used your favorite dried fruit, i.e., cranberries, cherries)

Heat over to 425F. Grease a large baking pan. (I use a spray). In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients and whisk. Add the butter and use a a pastry cutter to mix with the dry ingredients. (If I'm in a hurry, I put the dry ingredients in my food processor, add the butter and pulse until I have coarse crumbs). In a small bowl, whisk the egg and half-&-half. Measure out 2 T. (will be used to brush on top of the scones). Pour into dry mixtures and stir just until it comes together. Turn our on a lightly floured board and knead 5 to 8 times. Divide dough in half and with a floured rolling pin, roll each half into a 7-inch circle. Cut each circle into 4 wedges. Place scones on prepared baking sheet. Pierce tops with the tines of a fork and brush with the reserved egg/cream mixture. Bake 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm.