Triple Berry Lemon Muffins for SRC

Well, its time for SRC's Group C reveal again (seems like that was the last time I even posted last month... shame on me). Super excited about the blog I had this month and wishing I had more time to test out recipes this month! I was assigned Mommy's Menu this month - Toni is a stay at home mom to seven children in Utah!! Can you believe that she still has time to blog? My excuses look pretty weak now! I absolutely love how creative her blog is and I loved the wide variety of recipes she had available to try. I settled on something quick and adapted it to what I had on hand, but I can't wait to come back and try out her Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Bars and her Strawberry Cheesecake Chocolate Chip Sandwich Cookies. Both of them looked amazing!!

I settled on making Toni's Lemon Raspberry Muffins (in a slightly adapted version using what I had on hand). The results were delicious! Hubby has been eagerly devouring these babies!! Check out the link for the unadapted recipe... see below for my adapted version. Both I'm sure would be equally as delicious!!

Triple Berry Lemon Muffins
Recipe adapted from Mommy's Menu

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• zest of one lemon, finely grated
• 1 cup fresh or frozen mixed berries (I used a mix of raspberries, blackberries and blueberries)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Grease 2 x 12 cup muffin tins (or line with paper liners). 
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, lemon zest and salt. Set aside. In a medium bowl, combine eggs, cream, water, and oil and mix until combined. Add all at once to flour mixture and stir until just combined. Add berries and fold through batter (don't over mix or you will have tough, pink muffins).
3. Spoon mixture into prepared muffin tins, filling each tin approximately 2/3 of the way full. Bake in preheated oven for 18-22 minutes or until spring back slightly when lightly pressed.
4. Let cool on a rack. Enjoy!

 So, thats that. Make these, they're amazing!! And check out Toni's blog - you'll find loads of recipes you need to make. I found her blog quite addicting - not unlike pinterest!! :) Thanks Toni for the great recipes to choose from - I'll definitely be back to snoop around some more (only this time I won't have to lurk!).

Lemon Glazed Butterhorns

Whew!! This weekend has been uncharacteristically hot for British Columbia, even if it is summer time. Yesterday, the temperature peaked at 34 degrees celcius in our neighborhood! Beautiful, but oh so hot! Especially when you're not used to it. And what's the rationale thing to do when its hot outside and you don't have A/C in your house? Well, you turn on your oven and bake something delicious... first thing in the morning, so your house is cookin' hot all day (no pun intended). That's what I did on Saturday morning when I made these babies for breakfast. It was worth it though, they were delicious! Up til now, these have been hubby's favorite store bought pastry, but I think I won him over - home made trumps store bought... especially when it's topped with my homemade lemon curd.

First, make your lemon curd and let it set up a bit. Here is a great recipe for lemon-lime curd. Replace the lime juice with lemon juice and you're set. Or you can enjoy them with lemon-lime curd too. Either way, they'll be delicious.

Lemon Glazed Butterhorns
Recipe minimally adapted from Mennonite Girls Can Cook

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp instant yeast
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 cup icing sugar
• lemon curd

Method:

1. Combine the yeast, teaspoon of sugar and warm water in a small bowl. Stir gently and set aside to proof.
2. Measure the flour, second amount of sugar, and the salt in a large bowl. With a pastry blender (I just used my hands), cut the butter into the flour mixture until small crumbs form.
3. Warm the milk slightly and beat in the egg yolk. Pour the yeast and the milk mixture into the flour mixture. Stir to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in the fridge for 2 hours - overnight.
4. Place the dough on a slightly floured surface. Pat down the dough and lightly sprinkle the top with flour. Roll the dough to form a 6x14 inch rectangle. Cut the dough lengthwise to make 8 - 14inch long strips.
5. Twist each strip so you have a long twisted rope of dough, then coil around itself into a pinwheel shape. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Cover and let rise for 1 hour at room temperature.
6. Preheat oven to 375F. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned (mine took closer to 20 minutes). Cool on a rack.
7. Make icing by mixing icing sugar with a small amount of water to make a thick icing (you should be able to drizzle it on the pastries but it shouldn't just run off of them. Set aside.
8. Top each pastry with a spoonful of lemon curd and spread to cover the tops of the pastry - leaving about a 1/2 inch border around the edges. Then drizzle each pastry with some of the icing made in step 7. Enjoy!

This post has been yeast spotted!!

Hope you enjoy these delicious breakfast pastries! I know we sure did - they were all gobbled up in a matter of minutes. Happy Baking my Friends!

Maple & Ham Scones

If you ever make ham for your family, I'm sure you are well aware that you always have leftovers. And while leftovers are fun in their original form the next day or so, they quickly become monotonous and may even go to waste. Not with this recipe though!! Ohhhh are these ever good. I was inspired by the maple scalloped potatoes I made for easter and thought if they went well with ham, so would maple syrup, in scones! Oh yah, I did that!

I LOVE Anna Olson's scone recipes! They always turn out so light and delicious. So I flipped to my favorite recipe of hers for Apple Cheddar Walnut Scones and heavily adapted it to serve my purpose. Here's my rendition of the recipe made with Ham & Maple.

Ham & Maple Scones
Recipe adapted from Anna Olson's Back to Baking

Ingredients:

• 1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup, plus extra for brushing
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 5-6 tbsp butter, cut into small pieces and chilled
• 1/3 cup finely grated asiago cheese
• 9 oz leftover ham
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, plus extra for brushing

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
2. Pulse the flour and baking powder together in the bowl of a food processor until combined. Cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly, but pieces of butter are still visible. Remove from the food processor into a medium bowl and stir in the cheese and 1/2 of the ham until coated. Add the heavy cream and the maple syrup and stir until dough starts to come together. Turn out on work surface. Knead lightly until dough comes together fully, being careful not to overwork. Lightly pat dough out into 1/2 inch thick square. Sprinkle with remaining ham pieces and press lightly into the dough. Fold the dough in half, pressing the ham in at the same time. Repeat process until you've worked in about 4 folds.
3. Shape dough into a square, about 8 inches by 8 inches. Cut the dough into 16 pieces and place on prepared baking tray.
4. Stir together about 2 tbsp heavy cream and 2 tbsp maple syrup. Brush tops of scones with mixture and bake in preheated oven for about 12-15 minutes, or until they are a rich golden brown.

I baked these for hubby to take to his guys weekend last week and they were a hit!! I have been asked to kindly make these again next time I make a ham. Hope you enjoy these - they're a little different than your usual scone combination, but they work. :)

Happy Baking my Friends!

Blueberry Earl Grey Muffins for the Crazy Cooking Challenge

 After sitting the last Crazy Cooking Challenge out, I've had a chance to get back into the swing of things. I'm super excited to be participating in this month's challenge - to make the Ultimate Blueberry Muffin. And I think I've done it - Blueberry Earl Grey muffins with a Lemon Earl Grey Glaze! Yep, a little over the top, but none-the-less, delicious. My sister thinks these taste like a london fog from a fancy coffee shop and my good friend K thinks these taste like "Afternoon Tea".

If you're wondering what the Crazy Cooking Challenge is - every month a group of bloggers gets together and tries to find the Ultimate version of an every-day favorite dish. Some of the past challenges have been chocolate cake, spaghetti with red sauce, macaroni & cheese, and others. If you're interested, head on over to Mom's Crazy Cooking and check out Tina's informative page.

It is really funny - this month I was browsing around and I was inspired by the same blog I was in the month we did the Ultimate Chocolate Cake! I didn't realize it at first until I went to look up the recipe again to write this post. So funny to see how I am constantly drawn to the same style of blogs and recipes. :) Any way, the blog I'm featuring is Raspberri Cupcakes. Its great! Head on over to check out some of the yummy treats she has been baking up.

Blueberry Earl Grey Muffins
Recipe adapted from Raspberri Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 4 earl grey tea bags
• 1 cup milk
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 2 eggs lightly whisked
• 1 heaping cup blueberries
• 1/2 cup icing sugar
• 1 earl grey tea bag
• juice of one lemon

Method:

1. Warm the milk until nearly boiling. Remove from heat and add first four tea bags. Steep and let cool for one hour. Remove tea bags and discard.
2. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners. Place the flour and baking soda in a large bowl. Add the milk, vanilla, brown sugar, butter and eggs. Stir gently to combine. Fold in blueberries. Spoon evenly into prepared muffin pan. Bake in preheated oven for 25-27 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Don't overbake these muffins or they will dry out.
3. Cool on a rack. While muffins are cooling, prepare the glaze. Mix the icing sugar, earl grey tea and juice of one lemon together in a bowl until it reaches the desired consistency to drizzle on the muffins (you may have to add more icing sugar or more lemon juice, but adjust it til you like the consistency).

This post has been linked up with the Recipe Party at the Sweet Spot. Head over and check out the other goodies bloggers have linked up this week.
Thanks for stopping by! Hope you enjoy my version of the Ultimate Blueberry Muffin! I know we did. :)
Happy Baking my Friends!

Green Smoothie {Healthy, gluten-free and Vegan}

 Many of us are becoming more conscious of what we're putting in our bodies every day. With all of the genetically modified foods, chemical treatments and other scary things out there, I'm not surprised. But, it can be hard to find the time and energy to make sure we're purchasing healthy ingredients and making healthy food. That's where this green smoothie comes in - its a great way to start your day and you can feel good knowing that everything that goes into it is good for you and will give you that kick of energy to start the day. Its quick and easy and you can pre portion out the fruit and veggies a few days in advance so all you do is dump in blender and go! Plus, you won't have to worry about getting enough fruit and veggie servings for the day, this one's packed full of whole fruits and veggies!!

The reason I'm sharing this recipe with you is because of my mom. My mom has been struggling with some serious health issues for the past few years and nothing seems to help her much... not the most expensive medicine, expensive doctors or expensive supplements. But a friend of hers recommended that she try going vegan for a while and see if it helps. She thought "what do I have to lose". She has been drinking variations of this smoothie as part of a vegan diet for the past few months and over those month's we've seen a huge transformation in her. No, she's not cured, but she is feeling much better and most days she can get up and walk around and has way more energy than she did before. She asked if I would share this recipe on my blog for anyone out there looking for a healthy and delicious (if you can get over the colour!!) breakfast or snack.  So of course I agreed to share with you. Hope you enjoy!

Green Smoothie {Healthy, gluten-free and Vegan}

Recipe from my Mom

Ingredients:

• 1 organic banana (make sure its ripe, because you need the sweetness and flavour)
• 1 organic ambrosia apple, cored and roughly chopped
• juice of one organic lemon
• 2 cups roughly torn organic greens (kale, lettuce, swiss chard, or any combination of them)
• 2 cups cold water

Method:

1. Combine all ingredients in blender (vita-mix is best, but any blender will do). Blend all ingredients until smooth and vibrant green (colour will vary depending on mixture of greens used in smoothie). Makes two large servings. Store leftovers in the fridge for later.



 You can mix it up a number of different ways to give yourself some variety - vary the type of greens you use (for some crazy colour try some organic purple kale!!), you can put pear in instead of apple, or any other fruit you want! If you find this isn't quite sweet enough for you, try sweetening it with a couple teaspoons of agave syrup. And a little trick to get over the green colour of the smoothie - drink it out of a travel mug through a straw!

Do you have a favorite vegan recipe? Would you like it featured on my blog? Send me an email with the recipe (don't forget to include the source of the recipe) and a photo from last time you made it and I will most definitely feature it on my blog. Can't wait to hear from you.

Happy Cooking my Friends! Stay healthy!

February 2012 Daring Bakers' Challenge: Quick Breads

Seems like this month has just flown by... I know, I say that every single time I post a challenge, but its true. It is amazing how quickly so much time can pass while it feels as though I haven't had a chance to blink! This month's challenge was really easy and something I've made a lot of. So I decided to try out some flavours and recipes I haven't experimented with much - first - Whole Wheat Soda bread with Oats & Rosemary and second - Coconut Banana Muffins. They both turned out deliciously.

The Daring Bakers’ February 2012 host was – Lis! Lisa stepped in last minute and challenged us to create a quick bread we could call our own. She supplied us with a base recipe and shared some recipes she loves from various websites and encouraged us to build upon them and create new flavor profiles.

First, I'll share the savory recipe with you -  its delicious. Prepare yourself so you don't end up eating two loaves of this stuff all by yourself. Find someone to give it away to, or put it in the freezer, whatever you have to do! Because if you leave it on the counter, you will eat it!!

Whole Wheat Soda Bread with Rosemary &Oats
Recipe minimally adapted from No More Secrets by Adrienne Johnston

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp kosher salt, plus extra for sprinkling
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup rolled oats, plus extra for sprinkling
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 2 tbsp + 1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary 

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Stir together the flours, salt, baking soda, baking powder and 2 tbsp of the rosemary. Add the oats and stir well. Mix together the buttermilk and the egg. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until it forms a dough.
3. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead briefly until a sticky, but manageable dough is formed. Divide into two and form into flattish rounds about six inches in diameter. Place the loaves on parchment lined baking sheet, sprinkle with oats, remaining tsp fresh rosemary, kosher salt, and a bit of flour. Bake in the middle of the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, until lightly browned. They should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.

See what I have to resort to in order to get photos? Leaving threatening letters to my family: "Eat & Die!! No Touch!! Needs to be Photographed" LOL!! A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do right?!

Next up, these delectable muffins... coconut, banana and lime! It doesn't get any better than that for breakfast. Get ready to feel like you're somewhere tropical, because these babies will make you feel like you're on the beach!

Coconut Banana Muffins
Recipe adapted from Anna Olson's Back to Baking

Ingredients:

• 2 large, ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/2 cuppacked dark brown sugar
• 1 egg
• finely grated zest of one lime
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup coconut milk - refrigerate the can, scrape off the thick white portion and use the clear liquid from the bottom of the can for this recipe.
• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup sweetened, flaked coconut

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375F and line a muffin tin with paper liners.
2. Stir the bananas and sugar together, then stir in the egg, lime zest, and vanilla. Stir in the coconut milk.
3. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt, then add the flour mixture to the banana mixture and stir until combined. Mix in the coconut and spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin.
4. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes, until the muffins spring back when gently pressed. Let muffins cool for 10 minutes before removing from the tin to cool completely. The muffins will keep in an airtight container for up to three days.

Yep, these recipes are pretty delicious. You should try them out when you get a chance!

Thanks Lis for hosting a back to the basics challenge. Sometimes simple is a refreshing change from complex and time consuming. I really enjoyed the break this month, but hopefully back with a more "daring" challenge for March!! :)

This blog has been linked up with Mouthwatering Mondays over at the Sweet Spot. Head on over there to check out what other delicious treats bloggers have baked up this week.
Happy Baking my Friends!

Eggnog French Toast

Got leftover eggnog from the holidays? Make eggnog French toast! It's easy, quick and delicious. Your family will love having a hot breaky and you can use it up if you're sick of drinking it!
My sister discovered Southern Comfort eggnog in the US last time she was across the border - it puts all the Canadian eggnog I've tasted to shame. It is soooo smooth, creamy and flavourful. So, if you live close enough to the border, buy this special treat for this recipe - it will make a big difference in taste.

Eggnog French Toast
Recipe by Erin Reimer & Leslie Froese

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup eggnog (Southern Comfort eggnog if available)
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup of 1% milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
• 12 slices white bread

Method:

1. Preheat griddle pan on the stove on medium-low heat (grease if using anything other than non-stick pan).
2. Mix eggs and eggnog. Add milk to thin mixture out to desired consistency, adding up to 1/2 cup. Stir in vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg.
3. Dip slices of bread into mixture quickly, coating both sides, but not soaking through with mixture. Fry coated slices on both sides until nicely browned. Top with butter, icing sugar and syrup. Serves 5 people.

My Mom and I came up with this recipe this morning for breakfast and it was a big hit with our family. If you try it out, let me know what you think. Hope you're having a fabulous holiday with friends and family. I don't have to go back to work until the new year, so I'm enjoying my time of immensely.

Merry Christmas friends & Happy Baking!

Puffy Apple Pancake... you know you want it!

 I woke up Sunday morning wanting something warm and hearty for breakfast. This doesn't happen to me very often, but typically it strikes when the weather is cooling down and I'm craving some comfort food. I didn't feel like slaving in the kitchen before I'd had time to wake up, so I flipped open one of my beginner cookbooks and found this recipe for Puffy Apple Pancake. It sounded intriguing, I had all the ingredients, and best of all it sounded easy! I was sold.

Julie Van Rosendaal, author of Starting Out had this to say about the recipe:

"This spectacular looking pancake is similar to a big Yorkshire pudding or popover - baked in the oven, with or without sauteed fruit, it rises up all puffed and crunchy around the edges. Although it's traditionally made with apples, a puffy pancake is also perfect made with pears, bananas, peaches, berries, or plums. Sturdier fruits can be sauteed first and baked right into the pancake or set aside to be served atop. Fragile fruits like berries or bananas are better served in the hollow of the finished pancake, which rises even more dramatically when the batter is baked alone."

Intrigued yet? Thought so. Hungry? I knew it! Here's the recipe:

 Puffy Apple Pancake
Recipe adapted from Starting Out

Ingredients:

• 2 apples
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup milk
• maple syrup for serving (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 450F.
2. Peel, core and slice the apples. In a large skillet, saute the apples in nbutter over medium heat for a minute or two. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon and cook until they start to turn golden. Remove from heat.
3. Whisk together the eggs, flour, and milk. Don't worry if there are some lumps left. It will still taste good! Pour apples into greased pie plate, then pour the batter over top.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until the pancake is puffed and golden. Cut into wedges and serve drizzled with maple syrup. Serves 2-4 people (mine served 3 people perfectly).

I hope you enjoy this one friends! It is the perfect autumn weekend breakfast.

Happy Baking my Friends!

Speedy Cinnamon Rolls

Need something to whip up for breakfast tomorrow? Love cinnamon buns, but don't want to get up super, duper early to get them rising before everyone in your house gets out of bed? Make these speedy cinnamon rolls - delicious, tender cinnamon rolls without yeast!! Oh yeah, thats right - no yeast therefore you can make these in under an hour!! And the ingredients are very basic, so you likely have them on hand. So go ahead, make a delicious Sunday morning breakfast that your family will love!

Speedy Cinnamon Rolls

Recipe from The Guy Can't Cook

Ingredients:

• 3 1/4 cups all purpose flour


• 3 tbsp granulated sugar


• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder


• 1/2 tsp salt


• 1 cup of buttermilk (or one cup of plain yogurt will work too!)


• 1/2 cup whipping cream (I've used milk in a pinch and they've turned out fine)


• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus extra for brushing


• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened


• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar


• 1/4 cup granulated sugar


• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 400F.


2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, cream, and melted butter. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients and stir until the liquid is just absorbed - don't worry if it looks a little dry. Turn the dough out onto the counter and knead it lightly, just until it holds together. Knead in a little more flour if the dough seems sticky.


3. On a piece of parchment or waxed paper, lightly form the dough into a rectangle. Use your hand or a rolling pin to gently roll until its about 18 by 10 inches.


4. Spread the dough with the softened butter. Combine the brown sugar, white sugar, and cinnamon. Dust the mixture evenly over the dough.


5. Starting with the long end, roll the dough as tightly as you can, using the parchment paper to aid you. Pinch the seam to seal and place the roll, seam-side down, on the counter. Cut the dough roll into 12 even pieces using a sharp knife or a piece of dental floss (to use the dental floss, simply slide the floss under the log, cross the ends of the floss over the log and pull to slice through the dough).


6. Pick up each slice carefully, pinching the base slightly to fit each roll into a cup in an extra large, non-stick muffin pan. Brush rolls with melted butter.


7. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Turn the rolls out onto a cooling rack and serve while still warm. Makes 12 rolls.

I hope this recipe makes it onto your to-bake list! Its worth it. The other weekend I baked a batch to take camping and we ate them for breakfasts with coffee - they were a hit! Everyone loved them and they disappeared quickly.

Happy Baking my Friends! I am pretty excited - I borrowed my friend D's ice cream maker attachment for my KitchenAid mixer and have some chocolate ice cream chilling in the fridge right now until it is cold enough to start churning in the icecream maker! Can't wait!

Cranberry Oat Scones

Want a delicious and easy breakfast you can whip up quick on the weekend? Make these awesome scones! If you have house guests, whip them up and pop them in the oven before they get up in the morning and they will be impressed, and you don't even have to tell them how easy they were!!

Cinda Chavich's (author of The Guy Can't Cook) tip on perfect scones is "a light touch - don't handle the dough too much or your scones will become heavy". Follow her advice and you'll end up with light and fluffy scones every time. The reason this tip works so well? When you cut the butter into the mixture it stays cold so that it fills up pockets in the dough. When you bake the scones the butter melts leaving a lovely fluffy scone. If you handle the dough too much, the butter will melt before the scones are baked, therefore leaving a more dense scone with a heavy texture. :)

Cranberry Oat Scones
Recipe from The Guy Can't Cook

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all purpose flour


• 1/4 cup granulated sugar, divided


• 1 tbsp baking powder


• 3/4 tsp baking soda


• 1/2 tsp salt


• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes


• 1 cup rolled oats


• 3/4 cup dried cranberries (I used cranberries from here)


• 2 tbsp finely grated orange zest


• 2/3 cup buttermilk

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 425F.


2. In a food processor, combine the flour, 3 tbsp of the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the butter and pulse until the butter is chopped into small pieces and the mixture is crumbly. Pour into a large bowl and stir in the oats and cranberries.


3. In another bowl, whisk together the orange zest and buttermilk and add to the dry ingredients. Stir quickly with a fork until the batter begins to cling together.


4. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently pat into an 8 inch square about 1 1/2 inches thick. Cut into four 4-inch squares, then slice each square crosswise to make 8 triangular scones. Set triangles on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the tops with buttermilk and sprinkle with remaining sugar.


5. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden, then transfer to cooling rack.

I hope you enjoy these delightful scones! I recommend you make a double batch because they won't last long. Happy Baking my Friends!

Chocolate Scones

If you're anything like me, you probably often buy a good sized container of heavy cream for a recipe you're making - just in case you need a bit extra. Only to find that you don't need that bit extra and then you end up racking your brain trying to come up with a way to use it up before it goes sour. Well, this recipe can help you out - it calls for a cup and a quarter of heavy cream! No more tossing leftover heavy cream in the trash!


These biscuits are really rich - so don't make them too big or you won't be able to finish them. The recipe actually calls to use them to make chocolate strawberry shortcakes so feel free to give that a try! Simply delicious. Since they're so rich, you might not be able to eat a whole batch - don't despair - they freeze beautifully so feel free to make lots if you have lots of leftover heavy cream!




Chocolate Scones
Recipe from Fine Cooking - Chocolate 2010, p 82


Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup + 3 tbsp unsweetened dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar, plus about 3 tbsp for sprinkling
• 1 1/2 tbsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp table salt
• 9 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 6 1/2 ozs semi sweet chocolate, grated or finely chopped
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream, plus about 3 tbsp for brushing
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Method:

1. Line heavy baking sheet with parchment paper. Sift flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder an salt together in a large bowl. Cut butter into dry ingredients until largest pieces of butter are the size of small peas. Add grated chocolate and toss to combine. Combine cream and vanilla. Make well in center of dry ingredients and pour in cream mixture. Mix with a fork until dough is evenly moistened and just combined. Dough should look shaggy and still feel a little dry. Gently knead by hand 5 or 6 times to pick up any dry ingredients remaining in bottom of bowl and create a loose ball.
2. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and pat into an 8" square about 3/4 to 1 inch thick. Transfer dough to prepared baking tray and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 20 minutes. Meanwhile, position rack in center of oven and preheat to 425F. Remove dough and trim about 1/4 inch from edges to create a neat, sharp edge. Cut dough into 12 squares and position them about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. With a pastry brush, brush the biscuits with a thin layer of cream and sprinkle generously with sugar. Bake until the biscuits look a little dry and are mostly firm to the touch, about 18-20 minutes.

These biscuits are delicious tasting and a lovely treat! Make them on the weekend for a decadent breakfast - they go great with a nice strong cup of coffee. Or make them for chocolate strawberry shortcakes and impress your guests with a fun twist on the classic strawberry shortcake. I'm looking forward to Friday tomorrow! Should be the start of a fun-filled weekend!

Happy Baking my Friends!