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scones

Lemon-Ginger Scones

By Heidi Sutton

November is here and that means that the holiday season is just around the corner. Entertaining for the holidays frequently involves welcoming overnight guests. In these instances, having breakfast and brunch foods on hand can ensure that those spending the night will have something tasty to eat when they rise in the morning. Make-ahead foods, such as scones, can be ideal because they are delicious at room temperature, which means you can accommodate guests who are early risers as well as those who prefer to sleep in.

This recipe for “Lemon-Ginger Scones” from Simply Scratch by Chef Laurie McNamara produces refreshing flavor in a buttery scone. Lemony, with a subtle ginger flair, they are finished off with a thick layer of powdered sugar. Serve with tea or coffee and your guests will be in heaven.

Lemon-Ginger Scones

YIELD: Makes 8 scones

INGREDIENTS:

1⁄2 cup cold heavy cream

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon organic lemon extract

1⁄2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 1⁄4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt

3⁄4 cup (11⁄2 sticks) cut into cubes

1⁄4 cup finely diced candied ginger

2 tablespoons grated lemon zest

1⁄4 cup powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. In a 2-cup liquid measuring cup, use a fork to beat together the heavy cream, eggs, lemon extract, and vanilla until combined. Chill until ready to use.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Drop in the ice-cold butter and use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse wet sand.

Pour in the chilled cream mixture, ginger and lemon zest and use a rubber spatula to stir until just combined.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead it a few times before forming it into a ball. With floured fingers, flatten it out into a 11⁄2-inch-thick round. Cut the round into 8 equal-sized wedges and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking. Transfer the baked scones to a wire rack to cool. Once the scones have cooled, dust generously with powdered sugar before serving.

Note: According to Chef Laurie McNamara, the key to any good scone recipe is using ice-cold ingredients, so cube the butter and keep it in the freezer, and keep everything else, with the exception of the dry ingredients, measured and combined in the fridge until you are ready to mix them in.

Blueberry Scones

By Barbara Beltrami

Our British legacy, along with our language and customs, includes scones. At lunch the other day my friends and I ordered scones for dessert and I was reminded of just how good they can be with clotted cream and raspberry jam or even with butter or olive oil, if they’re savory rather than sweet. With our pinkies well extended we sipped tea and got caught up on each other’s lives and felt very civilized. Always the purist, I ordered the traditional scone with raisins. My more adventurous companions opted for the less conventional versions, and we all had a wonderful tea party.

Basic Scones

Blueberry Scones

YIELD: Makes 12 scones

INGREDIENTS:

2¾ cups flour

1/3 cup sugar

¾ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon baking powder

8 ounces cold unsalted butter

1½ cups dried currants

2 large eggs

½ tablespoon vanilla extract

2/3 cup light cream

2 teaspoons milk

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

DIRECTIONS:

In a large bowl thoroughly combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. With a pastry blender or fork, mash in the butter until mixture has a lumpy-crumbly texture; stir in currants. In a medium bowl, vigorously whisk together the eggs, vanilla and cream; then stir into the dry mixture until thoroughly combined.

Sprinkle a little flour over an ungreased baking sheet. Divide dough in half; shape each half into a 6-inch round disc that is about ¾ inch high. Brush each disc with a teaspoon of milk, then sprinkle with the two tablespoons granulated sugar.

Carefully and gently cut each disc into 6 wedges and pull the wedges away from the center so that they are barely separated, not touching. Place, uncovered, in freezer for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 F. Bake scones until golden brown and cooked through with no wet spots showing, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool 5 to 10 minutes on baking sheet. Serve warm with clotted cream, butter, jam or all of the above.

For other sweet scone variations substitute one of the following for the currants:

Raisins, chopped dried cranberries, cherries, apricots, strawberries, blueberries, mini chocolate chips, chopped pecans or walnuts or 1 tablespoon lemon or orange zest

For savory scones, omit the vanilla extract and final 2 tablespoons sugar, reduce the 1/3 cup sugar to 2 tablespoons and add one of the following:

1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese, ¼ cup chopped fresh basil or 2 tablespoons dried, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage or rosemary or 1 tablespoon dried, 1½ cups chopped sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed) or 2 tablespoons freshly ground coarse black pepper. Serve with butter or extra virgin olive oil.

Clotted Cream

Clotted Cream

YIELD: Makes 1 cup

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup pasteurized but not ultra -pasteurized heavy cream

1 cup pasteurized but not ultra-pasteurized light cream

DIRECTIONS:

Line a medium fine mesh strainer with a paper towel; place over a small-medium bowl. Leaving an inch at the top, pour in cream. Refrigerate for 2 hours. The liquid (whey) will drip through and leave a ring of clotted cream around top; with a rubber spatula, scrape this down.

Repeat procedure until a cup or so of clotted cream is left. Discard liquid. Serve clotted cream with warm scones and raspberry jam.