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June 9, 2008

Cream Scones

I promise this isn't going to be all baking all the time, but since my fiber adventures are plugging along at a snail's pace, I'm left with baking and television watching to entertain you with. So, baking first, then talk of television...

Scones are one of my favorite breakfast foods. Well really I will eat a scone just about any time - day or night. There are lots of yummy things you can add to scones - fruit, nuts, you can make whole wheat ones and savory ones, but my favorite in the cream scone - just a little sweet and light and delicious.

Cream Scones
recipe from: How to Bake by Nick Malgieri

Makes 12 scones

3 cups all-purpose flour (King Arthur is the best, in my opinion)
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
5 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 eggs
3/4 cup heavy cream, plus more for wash
cinnamon sugar

Set rack in middle of oven and preheat to 450 degrees. Combine the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Cut butter into small pieces and rub evenly into the dry ingredients until it resembles fine cornmeal (just like if you were making biscuits).

Whisk eggs and cream together and stir into the butter and flour mixture.

At this point the dough looks a little dry and you might be tempted to add more liquid, but don't just yet. Knead the dough and it will combine nicely. I just dump the whole mess out onto the counter and knead it for a few minutes to work all the left over dry ingredients in and you end up with a nice firm dough.

Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces and form each into a 5-inch disk - just pat the dough until it's relatively flat and about 5 inches in diameter.

Cut each disk into quarters so you have 4 triangle-shaped wedges - I find my metal scraper works great for this - better than a knife.

Place scones onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment or a silpat - I use 2 cookie sheets and put 6 scones per sheet. Brush tops with remaining cream and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes - 10 or 12 is enough for mine. You want the scones firm but not dry, and you don't want golden brown, but rather just slightly tan... Kinda like this.

Let me know what you think of them if you try them. They're good with butter and jam, but honestly, I like them plain with nothing to interfere with the slight sweetness. Yum.

So, now on to the entertainment portion of today. Do you watch Army Wives? If you don't, you should. Last night was the season 2 premier and it was great - I was totally shocked - didn't see that coming at all. I love the characters, so flawed yet still so likable and human. And I love that it's a show that airs new episodes in the summer when everything but my beloved General Hospital is in reruns. Lifetime has all of the season 1 episodes, as well as last night's premier on their website so if you've never watched, you can get caught up before next Sunday.

This week there will be some knitting on the never ending sleeves and I'm starting some new socks because I'm flying to Seattle on Thursday and I need a small portable knitting project for the plane - that big hulking sweater is not making the trip! I'm almost done with a fun little summer dress - just have the collar and sleeves and hem to finish, so hopefully I can get that done in the next couple of days and share that with you. Have a great Monday.

Stephanie

Posted by Stephanie on June 9, 2008 8:48 AM