Showing posts sorted by date for query Scones. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by date for query Scones. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Later this month, on the 19th May we are all going to be glued to the television screens watching the making of a Fairy Tale come true as we watch Miss Meghan Markle walk down the aisle to her waiting Prince, Prince Harry. What little girl does't dream about one day marrying a Prince?
I am so pleased that today, in thse modern times, this can be a reality, and that our Princes are now allowed to marry for love rather than obligation and duty. Hooray!
With that in mind, I have written a little tongue-in-cheek bit here this morning as the residents of Downton Abbey receive the news of the impending nuptials . . . and yes, there will be scones . . . every fairy tale deserves a happy ending.
Hello? 36410, Downton Abbey, Earle of Grantham speaking. (psst . . . Cora, where the hell is Carson? I shouldn't be answering the phone. Ugh.) What's that you say? Oh golly gosh!
Everyone, heads up! Great news! Dust off the silver Carson and check the wine cellar!!!
There's going to be a Royal Wedding! And soooooon!! More sooner than soon!!
Oh goodie, goodie!!! I do so love a Royal Wedding! Such an occasion! Oh joy, oh joy! Break out the family jewels! Prancing here. Prancing here. I'm a pony, I'm a pony!!
Ummm . . . . but, will there be scones? Please tell me there won't be scones. I am no good at scones. No good at all. They make me all flustered, you hear . . . all flustered. Mine always come out flat.
That's because you don't pay attention Daisy! You never do. Straight up and down. You cut them straight up and down, and you use a light hand.
There will be no heavy handedness when we are talking about scones. Not in MY kitchen! Pull yourself together girl!
Who cares about scones. Will there be dogs? Bracing young courtiers to flutter my eyelashes at??? A whiff of scandalous secrets I can, ahem . . . use to my own advantage??? Cheap black market goods to flog????
I simply must double Cora's "oh goodies". I do so love an occasion, and I hear she is a commoner, and an American at that!
What a cause for celebration!!!! I just love it when the underdog rises to the top! Hooo - ray! Pip pip and all that!
Oh dear me, a Commoner you say? And an American? I suppose that next you will be telling me that she is also divorced. This just isn't done. What is the world coming to . . . this just isn't done. How will they live down the scandal. Dear . . . dear . . . tut . . . tut . . .
Hmmmm . . . . I'm not sure you really want to be doing all of that tut-tutting Violet . . . me-thinks you are forgetting the regrettable Mr. Pamook . . . ahem . . .
Oh yes . . . giggle, giggle . . . the dear Mr. Pamook, let's not forget Mr. Pamook . . . Pamouk . . . PAMOUCK!!!!!
Edith . . . do you really want me to start rattling some skeletons in closets here. Do you? Do you?
Ummm . . . no. Will there be scones?
What??? Scones???? Skeletons in closets you say? Like when our Miss Sybil married the chauffeur????
I was wondering when that was going to come up . . . . lets just let sleeping dogs lie . . . lay . . . lye . . . oh forget it!!
Again with the dog . . . I know nothing about a missing dog . . . honest . . . does this look like a face that would lie tell untruths?
Thomas . . . don't do anything I wouldn't do . . . when in doubt deny everything . . . some things are just best left unsaid. Follow my lead . . .
But . . . um . . . . really . . . all I wanted to know is . . . will there be scones???
Forget the scones!!! Will there be new dresses involved??? Jewels!! Parties??? Dancing perhaps???? Clubbing??? Fun! Fun! Fun!
Just let me check with my friends . . . one minute . . . one minute . . .
Consensus is yes! There WILL be dancing . . . there is nothing like dancing and new dresses and parties. I do love a good party. PAR TAY!
Scandle . . . dogs . . . Pamouk . . . dancing . . . scones. Par . . . tay!!! If they are lucky there won't be any soup.
Ladies . . . pull yourselves together. You must remember who you are. You are the daughters and servants of an Earle . . .
Quite . . .
Am I too late???
Indoubitably . . . somewhat . . .ahem . . .
What about the scones????
There will be scones Carson . . . big fluffy soft scones, preferably filled with something lovely, what do they call it . . . . that fruity stuff . . . and the white stuff that goes with it.
Jam and clotted cream . . . yummy . . . scones and jam and clotted cream.
Yummy indeed . . .
There WILL be scones . . .
Oh goody . . . scones . . .
I also love a good scone and these scones are very befitting of a Royal Wedding Teatime Celebration!
They are delightfully light and flaky, with just the right amount of dried cranberrys and a hint of orange zest.
The best way to cut up the cranberries for these is to put them in a plastic cup and snip them with the kitchen scissors, not to fine, you want some chunks.
I think Meghan would like this, and Harry too . . . in between the Kale shakes. (I know she is a health food nut and these are definitely not health food!)
In any case they went down well here today with some berry jam and clotted cream . . .
I even dug out my best cloth and crystal . . . they were totally worth it.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Drop in the butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Stir in the sugar, cranberries and orange zest. Make a well in the centre and pour in the cream. Stir in with a fork until you have a soft dough that comes together, adding more cream if necessary. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead gently two or 3 times Press out to a disc which is about 1 1/2 inches thick. Stamp out into rounds with a 3 inch fluted cutter, using a straight up and down motion without twisting the cutter, trying to cut as many out of the first cut as you can. (Subsequent cuts will not be as tender when baked.) Bring the scraps together and pat out again, cutting more until you have used all the dough.
Place well spaced apart on the baking sheet. Bake in the heated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until well risen and golden brown. Scoop onto a wire rack to cool.
Note - You can add an optional glaze if you wish. Just wisk together 65g (1/2 cup) sifted icing sugar with enough milk to make a thin drizzle and flick it over top.
I wanted to bake Todd a treat today and I had spied this recipe in a baking book of mine which I have had for a very long time, entitled, "Cakes" by Gina Speer. Its a really good book. Nothing I have ever baked from it has been a dud. Its a rare book that you can say that about!
Its filled with lots of recipes for everything from biscuits (cookies) to scones, to muffins, cakes, and a whole lot more. I am a naughty puppy in that I turn the corners over on pages in my cookbooks if I find a recipe that I want to try out at some point . . . and this book has a corner turned on almost every page.
I was thinking they would be like a cookie . . . despite the fact that the recipe was in section entitled "Buns and Bite Sized Cakes." The picture was what drew me . . . they looked like nice puffy jam cookies.
The dough was quite a stiff dough, but I used my hands and it came together beautifully. I shaped it into a log and then divided it into twelve equal bits, which I then rolled into balls as per recipe instructions. After that you make an indentation in them and drop in a bit of jam. She recommended seedless raspberry, but all I had was seeded raspberry. Not a problem. They were not the most beautiful cakes in the world however . . .
But as women, we all know that a little bit of lippy (or a dusting of icing sugar in this case) always lights up even the dullest composure!
These are very good, and more than a bit wholesome, with the use of both plain and wholemeal (wholewheat) flours. The wholemeal flour gives them an almost nutty flavour . . .
There are also dried cranberries in the mix . . . I chopped them to make them a bit smaller and more evenly distributed throughout. Worked beautifully.
They have a buttery, almost pastry like texture . . . like a cross between a biscuit and a scone . . .
That touch of jam is perfect on these . . . I could not resist eating one while they were still warm . . . with some cold milk, but I think they would go equally as well with a hot cuppa of whatever you like to drink. These were not a cookie, but nobody was disappointed.
*Jammy Buns*
Makes 12 
Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. Butter a large baking sheet and set aside. (Alternately, line with baking paper.)
Sift both flours into a bowl along with the baking powder. Tip any grains remaining in the seive into the bowl. Add a pinch of salt. Cut the butter into pieces and drop into the flour mixture. Rub in with your fingertips until you have a mixture resembling coarse bread crumbs. Stir in the sugar and cranberries. Stir in the beaten egg and milk to make a stiff dough. (Get in there with your hands. You might think its not going to happen, but it does.) Divide into 12 equal bits and roll each bit into a ball.
Place the balls, leaving plenty of space in between for expansion. Press your thumb down into the centre of each to make a hole. Drop a llittle jam into each. (Don't be tempted to overfill as the jam will spill out if you do.)
Bake in the pre-heated oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Scoop off onto a wire rack to cool.
If desired, dust with some icing sugar to serve.
You know, when these first came out of the oven I thought . . . ugh . . .ugly buns, but with a dusting of icing sugar they perked right up and the flavour was actually really nice. These have turned into another favourite in our home. I hope you'll give them a try. I guarantee you won't be sorry if you do! Bon Appetit!
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