Fresh Cranberry Cream Scones with candied ginger

makes 6 scones

recipe adapted from joyofcooking.com

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2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup raw (turbinado) sugar (you can also use brown sugar or granulated if you have that on hand)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes

1 heaping cup coarsely chopped fresh cranberries

1/2 cup coarsely chopped candied ginger

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup heavy cream, cold

cream and sugar for topping

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees R.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together  flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Add the cold butter and quickly work the butter into the flour mixture.  Break up the butter until well incorporated into the flour.  Some butter bits will be the size of peas, others will be as small as oat flakes.  Toss in the cranberries and ginger and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together egg, vanilla extract, and heavy cream.  Add the cream mixture all at once to the flour mixture.  Stir quickly to ensure that all of the flour mixture is moistened by the cream mixture.  Dump the shaggy dough mixture out onto a lightly floured work surface and work together, kneading lightly, into a 1 1/2-inch thick disk.

Cut the disk into 6 wedges.

Place 2-inches apart on baking sheet and brush with cream and sprinkle generously with sugar.

Bake for 15 minutes until just cooked through.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  Scones are best served the day they are made, but these scones will last well wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Chocolate Coconut Almond Scones

makes about 8 to 10 scones

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3 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons raw or granulated sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes

1 large egg

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk

1/3 cup shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)

1/3 cup slivered almonds

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

buttermilk and sugar for topping before baking

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Place shredded coconut and slivered almonds on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 8 to 10 minutes.  Keep your eye on the coconut.  It browns quickly.  Remove from the oven when toasted and allow to cool.  Heat oven to 400 degrees F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Toss the cold butter cubes into the flour mixture.  Using your hands, quickly work in the butter into the flour mixture, breaking it up with your fingers.  Some butter bits will be the size of small pebbles, and some will be the size of oat flakes.  Set in the fridge for a few minutes.

Whisk together buttermilk and egg.

Remove the flour and butter mixture from the fridge and add coconut, almonds, and chocolate chips.  Whisk together and create a well in the center of the mixture.  Add the buttermilk mixture all at once to the well.  Use a fork to bring the wet and the dry ingredients together.  Mixture will be shaggy.  Lightly flour a work surface and dump the shaggy dough mixture out onto the counter.  Bring together the dough with your hands into a 1 1/2-inch thick disk .  Use a 2 1/2-inch round biscuit cutter to cut out biscuits.  Flour the biscuit cutter if it starts to stick to the dough.

Place biscuits, about 1 inch apart, on the prepared baking sheets.  Brush with a bit of buttermilk and a few pinches of raw or granulated sugar.  Bake biscuits for 14-18 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.  Remove from the oven and serve warm, with jam.

Lavender and Toasted Walnut Scones

makes 8 biscuits

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For the Biscuits:

1 tablespoon dried lavender

1/2 cup walnut pieces

3 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoon granulated sugar

4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes

1 large egg

3/4 cup buttermilk, cold

For the Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon milk

Place racks in the center and upper third of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.  Set aside.

Using a spice grinder, a mortar and pestle, or a clean cutting board and the back of a knife, grind or press the dried lavender.  We just want to break it up into slightly smaller pieces and bring out the essential oil and the fragrance.

Place walnut pieces on a baking sheet and place in the oven.  Toast for about 5 minutes, until slightly browned and fragrant.  Remove from the oven.  Cool completely.  Chop coarsely and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Add lavender.  Add cold butter and, using your fingers, work the butter into the flour mixture.  Work quickly to incorporate the butter into the flour.  The butter bits will be the size of small pebbles and oat flakes.

Whisk together egg and buttermilk.

Toss the walnut into the dry ingredient mixture, and create a small well in the center of the flour and butter mixture.  Pour in the buttermilk, all at once, and use a fork to incorporate the ingredients.  Make sure that all of the flour bits are moistened by the egg and buttermilk.

Dump the shaggy dough onto a lightly floured work surface.  Bring together, kneading lightly, until the dough forms a 1-inch thick rectangle.  Use a knife to cut the dough into 8 equal pieces.  Place on the baking sheet.

Brush biscuit tops with buttermilk and baker for 12 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned on top and firm-ish in the center.  Let cool until almost entirely cool before topping with glaze.

To make the glaze, whisk together powdered sugar, honey, and milk.  Whisk until smooth.  Drizzle scones with glaze and sprinkle with a bit more lavender.

Scones are best served the day they’re made, thought they’re still delicious the second day.  

Grapefruit, Honey, and Yogurt Scones

Makes: 6 scones

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1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar, divided

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold

1 Ruby Red grapefruit, zested and segmented

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.

Zest the grapefruit and combined zest and granulated sugar on a clean cutting board.  Rub together the zest and sugar with the back of a spoon or a plastic bench knife.  The sugar will be tinted a pale orange color and smell of grapefruit.  Measure 2 tablespoons of the grapefruit sugar and whisk into the dry ingredients.  Save the remaining grapefruit sugar for topping the scones just before baking.

Segment the grapefruit next.  Slice off the bottom and top of the grapefruit, exposing the wheel of grapefruit flesh inside.  Use a sharp knife to cut away the peel and pith of the grapefruit, exposing the pink grapefruit flesh.  Slice in between the white skin segments to the center of the fruit, at a slight angel, circling the grapefruit.  Little grapefruit segments should fall from the fruit as you slice.  Set segments aside.

Dice cold butter into small chunks and add to the dry ingredients.  Using your fingers, and working quickly, break the butter down into the flour mixture until butter chunks are the size of oat flakes or small peas.  The butter and flour combined will resemble coarse meal.  Add the honey, plain yogurt and grapefruit segments.  Toss together with a fork until all of the dry ingredients are moistened by the yogurt and  honey.

Turn the scone dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  Form into an 8 inch circle, about 1 inch thick.  Use a knife or a bench scraper to cut the dough into six scone triangles.  Place on the prepared baking sheet.  Lightly brush the tops of the scones with milk or buttermilk, and sprinkle generously with grapefruit sugar.

Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, until golden brown on top and firm but soft in the center.  Allow to cool on the pan for 10 minutes before serving.  Serve warm with butter and jam.  These scones are best served the day they’re made.

Orange and Dark Chocolate Buttermilk Scones

makes four large or six small scones

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1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 teaspoons orange zest

2 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter

1 large egg yolk

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold buttermilk

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Place rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, sift together flour, sugar, orange zest, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal.  I use my fingers to rub the butter and dry ingredients together.    In another bowl, combine egg yolk and buttermilk and beat lightly with a fork.  Add to flour mixture all at once, stirring enough to make a soft dough.  Fold in the chocolate chips.

Turn out onto a floured board and knead about 15 times.  Roll or pat out into a 1-inch thickness.  Cut into 4 large or 6 small  squares.     Place on prepared baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees F for 12-15 minutes.  These are best when serve immediately with butter and jam.

Jalapeno Pepper Jack Scones

makes 6 large scones

inspired by Suzanne adapted from NY Magazine

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2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons cornmeal

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes

2 large eggs

1/2 cup heavy cream  (plus more for brushing the tops of the scones)

1/4 pound pepper jack cheese, cut into small cubes

2 medium jalapenos, some seeds removed, diced small

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.

Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a small saute pan and cook diced jalapenos  until softened, about 3 to 5 minutes.  Let the diced peppers cool and them mix with the diced cheese.  Toss mixture in 1 tablespoon of flour and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt.  Work in the cold butter with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse meal.  Some butter pieces will be the size of peas and the flour will be nice and crumbly.

Whisk together 2 eggs and heavy cream.  Add the wet ingredients all at once to the dry ingredients, fold together with a fork until almost fully incorporated.  Add the jalapeno and cheese mixture to the shaggy dough and work together.  Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 30 seconds.  Form into a disk  about 8 inches around and 2 inches thick.  Cut disk into six wedges and refrigerate for 10 minutes before baking.

When ready to bake, place chilled scones onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Brush with heavy cream and sprinkle with coarse sea salt.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and delicious.  These are best served the day they’re made.

Sour Cream Scones

a la Paula Dean

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2 cups all-purpose flour

3 Tablespoons sugar

2 Tablespoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

5 Tablespoons chilled butter, cut into cubes

1 cup sour cream

1 egg yolk

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup sugar in the raw

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a food processor, pulse flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Add the cubed butter until a coarse meal forms. Pulse in the sour cream and egg yolk until just combined.

Turn the sticky dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until the dough comes together into a ball. Gently pat the dough down into a 3/4 inch thick square shape. With a large knife cut the dough square into 4 smaller, equal squares. Then cut each smaller square diagonally, with an X, making 4 smaller triangles.  I made 9 larger square scones.

Transfer the 16 triangles onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Brush the tops of each scone with heavy cream and sprinkle it with some sugar in the raw. This will create a shiny and crunchy top for the scones. Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 14 minutes until the bottoms of the scones are light brown.

Remove from oven, cool slightly on the sheet pan and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.