Рецепт Chocolate Chip-Cherry Cream Scones for Chocolate Monday
Yesterday was a hectic day with all the preparations for our Father’s Day celebration and making something for Chocolate Monday. I wanted to find something that I could throw together really quickly and that I could send home with my father-in-law for him to enjoy this coming week. The minute I saw this recipe in my “to make” file, I knew it was perfect.
I love scones but too often they are dry and tough, leaving many people with the impression that this is what they are supposed to be like. In reality they should be tender and moist, a truly delightful treat. One trick is to use cream as the liquid, adding much needed fat that helps keep the scones tender. Cream Scones are common all over the country and you can find many recipes on the Internet with minor variations.
Scones hot from the oven!
Today’s version is from the pastry chef at The French Laundry, working under Chef Thomas Keller. Lena Kwak is the developer of Cup4Cup, one of the premiere gluten-free flour blends on the market. If you are on a gluten-free diet or need to make something for a person who is, this is a good option. The only challenge is that it is one of the most expensive ones available. That is why I make up my own blend and store it on my counter in a lidded container.
The original recipe made 24 scones, but with just the two of us in the house, The Artist and I would have a lot of trouble eating a whole batch so I cut it in half. One of the biggest challenges when adjusting the yield of a recipe is doing the math. I’ve never been great at fractions, so I have a tool that helps me. It is called a Recipe Divider, a magnetized dial that helps you halve, double, triple a recipe. This is one of those tools that are definitely worth the cost unless you are a math major!
I keep this handy on my refrigerator for adjusting the yield of my recipes
I love these scones and the gluten-free version is definitely better on the second day. There are a couple of benefits to gluten-free baking. First, because there is no gluten in the flour you don’t have to worry about overworking doughs and resulting tough products. The other benefit is that many GF baked goods are even better on the second day. This lets you plan ahead and not have to worry about baking on the same day as you are making all the other dishes for you parties.
Cream scones are the perfect basic recipe from which you can make all sorts of creative treats. Instead of the chocolate chips, you can substitute toffee, peanut butter, cinnamon, or other chips. Try some chopped almonds, pecans, or walnuts. Add citrus zest, a touch of rum or other liquor, other chopped fresh fruit or reduce the sugar and turn them into savory scones maybe with a little crumbled bacon and chives! The sky is the limit!!
Doesn’t The Artist have perfect working-man hands for photographs?
I hope you enjoy making these scones for an upcoming Sunday brunch, a luncheon with the ladies, to take to a church potluck, or just because you want a special indulgence. I don’t know about you, but some days I just need a little luxury, LOL!!
Have a wonderful week and Happy Chocolate Monday!!!
Platter of happiness!
Jane’s Tips and Hints:
When you are cutting butter into flour make sure you use a very large bowl so you don’t get flour all over the floor! For many years my mother used two table knives to do this. She thought I was being extravagant when I bought my first pastry cutter, LOL!
I just bought this great set of measuring spoons that are rectangular instead of round. In addition to being able to get into small jars, they also include some of the in-between sizes such as 1/8 tsp, 3/4 tsp, etc. Very hand and I’m surprised it took me this long to buy them!! Treat yourself!
Gluten-Free Tips:
When it is time for me to make up a new batch of my gluten-free flour blend, I place the plastic bucket in the sink. Gluten-free flours are very silky and tend to get everywhere. This saves me having to mop the floor when I am done!
The top image is the cubes of butter just being added to the dry ingredients. The bottom photo shows what it looks like when I am done with pieces of butter in all shapes and sizes.
Kitchen Skill: Cutting Butter into Flour
The old-fashioned task of cutting butter into flour by hand is becoming a lost art. Most people have begun using their food processor, saving time but losing the personal touch. I love cutting butter into flour using my sturdy pastry cutter.
The idea is to distribute the butter throughout the dry ingredients in small pieces, each completely coated with flour. If you have cold hands you can do this by smearing the mixture between the palms of your hands. But if you are like me and have hot hands, a pastry cutter is the way to go. Make sure you have a table knife nearby to help clean off accumulated butter and flour from the cutter and redistribute it into the bowl.
The primary trick to delectable baked goods is to have a mixture of miniscule bits of butter about the consistency of cornmeal, small pebble-sized pieces, and medium-sized clumps in the mixture. (See photos above.) In addition to its luscious flavor, as the scones bake, these chunks of butter will melt leaving space for air to expand, helping to lift your baked goods.
Who’s ready for a bite?
NOTE: Just like when you are making pie dough, this scone dough may need a little more or less cream depending on the weather. In California I usually have to add 2 to 3 more tablespoons of liquid, especially when using gluten-free flours. You want enough liquid so that there are no dried bits left in the bowl and the entire dough holds together. Add the cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it reaches the right consistency. If you are baking these with gluten-free flours, they are delicious on the day they are baked but tend to be even better the next day. Notes Yield: about 12 scones
Adapted from Lena Kwak, The French Laundry
Adapted from Lena Kwak, The French Laundry
The Heritage Cook ® http://theheritagecook.com/
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