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Photos by TSW
Cooking is about creating memories which is why it is so much more fun with friends. More important than the end result, is the process of cooking, being present in the moment, and creating a collection of memories. Everything about cooking, the camaraderie, scents, ingredients, instantly makes me nostalgic, mindful of the power of the past, and hopeful about the future. It's amazing how potent memories are.
I had forgotten how much fun it is to cook with others, especially with folks that know how to cook or at the very least, enjoy the process. With a new friend, we made blueberry cornmeal scones for the aforementioned brunch. It was his vision and he had really thought about it so I went with it. I'm kind of a rigid cook partly because I want everything to be super successful so I find myself in uncharted territory when I go out on a limb. But it's 2008, and with all the changes I've made in other aspects of my life, cooking should be no exception. Plus, since as the sous-chef, it was not my role to say anything but to really just follow along. The scones were fabulous and showed me how to have fun in changing things up.
We followed the recipe I used for blueberry scones, and made the following modifications:
-2 1/4 c flour and 3/4 c polenta
-2/3 cup full fat raw milk +1 tbs
-1/2 cup blueberries (frozen are fine)
-1/2 cup corn kernels
So I used a little more liquid than what is called for and the dough was more moist than usual because I used less flour (2 1/4 vs 3 c). Polenta does not absorb liquid as much so....but it turned out fine. You may want to start with 1/3 cup and add more in as you go.
See the corn kernels? Don't these look better than the ones I previously blogged about? These were as scones should be...crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Coffee would be the perfect mate I think.
Cook and create your own memories!
These scones were amazing, just amazing. Chocolate and raspberries are two peas in a pod. Good by themselves, even better together. The scones were crispy on the outside soft and moist on the inside. I did learn a trick about getting the outside of scones more crispy which is to sprinkle a little powdered sugar and broil for a few seconds after they've been baked. Do be careful because you could ruin a perfectly fine batch of scones if you're not watching closely. I was hosting a brunch and got distracted by the talking and while the scones looked like they're burned, they're not! They had perfect taste though they were not aesthetically perfect.
I'm not writing out the recipe because it can be found at the Joy of Baking (click on title to take you the recipe).
I just adore scones but don't love that they don't taste so good when I've purchased them in stores, restaurants, and coffee shops. They're dry, too sweet, hard as rocks, and not fluffy. Having wanted to make scones forever, I decided to forge ahead after a friend shared her recipe. Plus, Sunday mornings scream scones with a nice cup of coffee or tea. The recipe, like my friend, is kick-ass, and I think I hit a grand slam in preparing them. They were perfect -- slightly crispy on the outside, soft and moist on the inside, and just perfectly sweet. The home was filled with the smell of butter and blueberries. What a way to wake up!
I've made low-fat scones and lived to blog about them. I shouldn't have. They weren't nearly as good. Not even close. The fat is what makes a scone successful. And if you use good fats, then a scone isn't nearly as unhealthy as one would think.
Ingredients
-3 cups flour
-4 tsp baking powder
-1/2 tsp baking soda
-1/2 tsp salt
-8 T butter
Cut butter into the dry ingredients listed above (until coarse, you want little chunks of butter the size of peas). Stir in wet ingredients listed below:
-1/2 cup sugar
-1 large egg, beaten
-2/3 cup buttermilk (I used low fat only because that was the smallest container available, otherwise I would have gone full fat)
-1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
Stir until just mixed. Divide dough into two parts, and pat each into a circle. Cut each circle into 6 wedges. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes until brown.
The dough is very sticky so I would flour your hands when you pat down otherwise you'll end up with a lot of dough on your hand, like I did. Don't be tempted to add any more liquid even if you think the batter is dry. It will come together, especially if you use frozen blueberries and they start to thaw a bit. Adding more liquid will just make the dough that much more sticky.
Enjoy!
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