Blueberry Almond Scones

I just got back home to Boston from my wonderful week in Iowa. I baked these scones at Allison's house on Wednesday morning. I did the baking, but it was a team effort as Allison passed me all of her baking supplies from the pantry cupboard while I mixed up the dough.

Found this photo and thought I'd share the recipe in case you feel like baking up some weekend goodies yourself. These scones are full of fresh blueberries. Lots of fruit means they're a little crumbly when eating, but sometimes messy is good!

Blueberry Almond Scones

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
6 tbsp cold, unsalted butter
1/2 cup whole milk
1 egg

2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Preheat over to 400F. In a large bowl, whisk together flours, sugar, baking powder and salt. Slice the butter into pieces and drop it into the flour mixture. Cut the butter into the flour with a pastry blender or two knives, tossing butter in the flour as you work, until mixture is crumbly and butter pieces are no larger than the size of a pea.

Toast the sliced almonds in a hot pan on the stove, until they just begin to brown. Let cool for a few minutes, then toss the sliced almonds with the flour mixture. In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, egg and vanilla, then add all at once to the flour mixture. Mix with a wooden spoon just until dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in the blueberries. 

Using your hands, gather the dough into a sticky ball and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Pat the ball into a circle about 8-inches around, and slice into 8 wedges with a pizza cutter. Place the wedges on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, at least 1-inch apart. Brush tops with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until tops are golden. For best results serve warm, fresh out of the oven!

Allison, hope you're having a great weekend. Happy packing and I can't wait to hear of your food adventures in France coming up next week already! Safe travels, thanks for always welcoming me in your kitchen. xoxo Cara

Stormy Saturday Morning

I have a lot of homework to do this weekend. So I'm taking this gloomy Saturday morning to lounge around before errands and reading dominate my day.  I don't have real weekend cooking plans, but a few weekly menu meals got pushed out of the week due to busy schedules and an unexpected dinner invitation so I have the soup and the pasta left to make. 

However, last night, I had a flash of inspiration to make scones.  I didn't know it was going to be a gloomy morning, but now, as it rains and thunders, and I catch up on internet browsing (Food Gawker, Pinterest, Facebook, Bon Appetit.com, etc.) they are perfect.  Especially with some homemade strawberry jam and lots of coffee.

My Chia frog, who is trying to grow his seeds, looks a little jealous.

This make the dough ahead trick comes from my dear Kitchen Table Friend, Cara.  One Saturday morning, when I was visiting her in Denver Colorado, she magically produced warm scones (I believe they were lemon and currant!) out of the oven.  When did you make those? I asked, delighted.  She had prepared the dough the night before for a warm, morning breakfast surprise.  Yum.  Cara makes the best scones. 

I am improving, by practicing when the mood strikes, the Joy of Cooking recipe for classic scones with dried cranberries. I leisurely made the recipe last night and stored the dough in the fridge.  Then this morning when I woke up, as the coffee was brewing, I preheated the oven to 450, brushed the top with egg, and 20 minutes later, voila! Breakfast. 

My husband just popped in from working on something in the garage to get one and said "yuuuum!"  so I think I've done a good job this time around. 

Now, as I finish writing this, it seems the rain is clearing up... so that means I should probably get to work!

Saturday Morning Scones with Apricot & Ginger

After returning from our Christmas travels I have been so busy with work and teaching that I've been on a bit of a kitchen hiatus, making the minimum to get by, or asking Chris to cook. But this morning I woke up late, rested, and ready for some recreational baking! I like to make breakfast treats on Saturday morning for Chris and I, its our time to come together again after our busy weeks. I make scones about once a month, gradually perfecting my dough recipe and experimenting with different add-ins.

This morning it was:

Apricot & Ginger Scones

2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
6 tbsp cold, unsalted butter
1/2 cup buttermilk*
1 egg
1/3 cup chopped dried apricots
1/4 cup chopped crystalized ginger

Preheat over to 400F. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Slice the butter (be sure its cold!) into pieces and drop it into the flour mixture.

Pastry blender and metal bowl inherited from my grandmother's kitchen.

Cut the butter into the flour with a pastry blender or a fork, tossing butter in the flour as you work, until mixture is crumbly and butter pieces are no larger than the size of a pea. Toss the chopped ginger and apricots with the mixture, separating any pieces that stick together.

Crystallized ginger and dried apricots on the chopping block.

In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk and egg, then add all at once to the flour mixture. Mix with a wooden spoon just until dry ingredients are moistened. Using your hands, knead the dough on the sides of the bowl until it forms a somewhat sticky ball. On a floured surface, pat the ball into a circle about 8-inches around, and slice into 8 wedges with a pizza cutter. Place the wedges on a baking sheet, at least 1-inch apart and brush tops with milk. Bake for 12-15  minutes, or until tops are golden. Serve warm with butter and/or jam.

*Homemade buttermilk tip courtesy of Martha Stewart: I rarely have buttermilk on hand, so I make my own by mixing 1 1/2 tsp white vinegar or lemon juice with 1/2 cup of milk. Let sit for 30 minutes before using.

We enjoyed these at our kitchen table this morning with some strawberry jam and a pot of green tea.

Scones in a basket!