MONDAY RECIPE POST - HAM, CHEESE AND SCALLION SCONES FOR THE BRUNCH CROWD - MAKES 10

My scone offerings to George the Bunny, Berty the Bee, Sophie the Squirrel, Bernard the Bird, and the Pilgrim Birds Mr. and Mrs. Plymouth Rock (these two are visiting even earlier but I wanted to enjoy them just a bit longer this year.  Berty the Bee asked if I could replace those spiky cones with flowers as he said he would find them more comfortable to sit on.  My reply was okay, next time I go to the store you will have your flowers, and I'll be sure to bring back a bottle of honey so that you won't have to work so hard. Berty was happy!  I am getting in touch with a pinch of inner child, a dash of whimsy, brushed with an even bigger dash of kindness on the top.  These are always good additions to any recipe.

I made my scones yesterday, Sunday the 10th.  They were a delicious addition to brunch and were well received. I found them here at Tasting Table, host Katie Rosenhouse.  I always highly recommend visiting the original recipe, at this link, to see all the tips beforehand, and also to look at photos and other recipes.  There is a YouTube video where Katie goes through all the steps at her website - you can see it on YouTube if you click here.

 

Ham, Cheese, And Scallion Scones Recipe - makes 10 scones Approximately 454 calories per scone.

3-¼ cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1-½ tablespoons baking powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon paprika

¾ cup salted butter, cold, cubed

8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

8 ounces maple ham steak, cut into small cubes

1 cup thinly sliced scallion

⅔ cup plus 2 tablespoons half-and-half, divided (the 2/3 cup will be mixed into the dough, the 2 tablespoons will be brushed on top of the scones before baking)

1 large egg

Optional Ingredients:

Coarse salt, for sprinkling

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then set aside.

Measure out all ingredients before you start and have them close so that it will make the steps easier (see my notes below).

In a medium bowl, stir to combine flour, sugar, baking powder, garlic powder, black pepper, salt, and paprika. 

Add butter and work in with your fingertips or a pastry cutter until only pea-sized bits remain visible.

Fold in the cheese, ham, and scallions.

Whisk to combine ⅔ cup of half-and-half with the egg. Pour into dry mixture and toss lightly to combine. 

(Katie described the dough as looking a bit shaggy.)  

Place the dough onto the prepared baking sheet and gently press to form a 4x14-inch rectangle (it should be about 1-½-inches thick). 

Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 400 Fahrenheit.

Cut dough into 5 equal sections. Then cut each section into 2 triangles. 

Space the triangles out across the baking sheet. 

Brush the tops with the remaining half-and-half and sprinkle lightly with coarse salt, if using.

Bake for 24-26 minutes until golden brown.

Transfer to a rack to cool slightly.

Serve warm.

My scones didn't turn out the perfect triangles that I would have liked, but there was no doubt that they tasted great.

Notes from Kathleen:

"The dough should be "shaggy" in its appearance." 

"Chilling the dough helps keep the fat (butter) cold, making for flaky layers within the scones. It also helps control the spread when the scones hit the heat of the oven, and makes them easier to cut,"

"When the dough has chilled, but before you've thrown it in the oven, you want to cut it into perfect, scone triangles. She suggests doing this by cutting the rectangle of dough into squares before cutting each square diagonally to make the triangles.”

"Bake and cool before serving."

"If you don't have half-and-half on hand, using half milk and half cream will have the same effect.  You are looking to add richness and fat to the dough, but straight cream would be overwhelming.  The combination of milk and cream gives the scones a flaky, rich, texture, without weighing it down."

My notes:

I have one other savory scone recipe that is very similar to this.  You can find that at this link to compare. 

I got everything prepared and ready the night before, so that I could easily bake the scones first thing in the morning.  The aroma of freshly baked anything is always very welcoming.

I combined the flour, sugar, baking powder, garlic powder, black pepper, salt, and paprika in a bowl, gave them a good mix to combine and covered the bowl tightly with foil to continue the next morning.

I also measured out the rest of the ingredients in separate containers, and refrigerated what needed to be.   

The mixture seemed a bit dry after adding the egg with the half and half.  As I thought my large egg was on the small side, I added another egg and a little more half and half, which I whisked together and added to the dough.  After mixing it in the dough seemed better to me.  You can be your own judge if you think the extra is needed.  

The next morning I followed the recipe and it was easy, the process went smoothly, and we had that wonderful aroma wafting through the house.

I used cubed sliced deli ham that was already in the fridge.

I have included the full website address next if you prefer cutting and pasting instead of using my links:

https://www.tastingtable.com/1378571/ham-cheese-and-scallion-scones-recipe/

That's it!  If I have missed anything and you have any questions, please let me know in the comments and I will do my best to answer them.

MONDAY RECIPE POST - BACON, CHEDDAR AND SCALLION SCONES

I found this recipe at Solano's Kitchen.  Unfortunately the link no longer seems available.  This was years’ ago.

Bacon, Cheddar and Scallion Scones - makes 8 scones

2 cups (8-1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold butter, diced into small cubes
1 cup (4 ounces) very coarsely grated or diced cheddar cheese
1/3 cup finely diced scallion tops (the green part), or snipped fresh chives
1/2 pound bacon, cooked, cooled and crumbled
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (7 ounces) heavy cream or whipping cream (use just enough to make the dough stick together)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.   

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and sugar.  Add the butter into the flour and mix, using a pastry blender, two knives or your fingers, until the mixture is crumbly (the butter pieces should be the approximate size of a pea.

Stir in the cheese, scallions (or chives) and bacon until evenly distributes. 

Add 3/4 cup of the cream, stirring to combine.  Squeeze some of the dough together to see if it will come together.  If it is still crumbly, add the remaining cream and stir until the dough comes together.  The dough will not look at all smooth.

Transfer the dough to a well-floured work surface, then pat into a smooth 7-inch disk (about 3/4 of an inch thick).  

Move the disk to the prepared baking sheet.  Using a knife or pastry scraper, cut the disk into 8 wedges.  Spread the wedges apart on the pan and brush the scones with a bit of additional cream.

Bake the scones for 22 to 24 minutes, or until golden brown.

Remove from the oven and cool right on the pan.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

I made this quite a while ago and they were delicious, savory scones.  I served them with a potato and leek soup. I also think they would go great with a salad.

After cooling I put the leftovers in the fridge covered with foil, and served them for breakfast the next day.  Those that were left I put in the freezer to enjoy another time.  

As I don't do a lot of baking I didn't want to go to the trouble of buying parchment paper, and I used non-stick aluminum foil.  It worked really well with these scones.  

Thanks for looking.  Have a great week. 

MONDAY RECIPE POST - CRANBERRY ORANGE SCONES

An old recipe I wanted to make again recently when our son came over for a visit.  One of those recipes I can't remember where it came from, so there is no link today.

Cranberry Orange Scones

I originally made this recipe as part of an afternoon tea I put together when the weather was warmer.

I put it together when we had company pre-pandemic, and also fixed tea sandwiches (with all the crusts cut off), wheat and white, cutting down the middle diagonally once filled.  

I always do a variety of fillings which include very thin slices of cucumber, thin slices of ham, both lightly spread with butter, and chicken and egg salad spread lightly with mayonnaise.  Shaved smoked salmon with capers are often used but although fresh wild salmon is a favorite of mine, I am not a fan of smoked. I also usually make a couple of cookie recipes but this day I only made the scones to be eaten after the sandwiches.  Spreading clotted cream and strawberry jam between them is the piece de resistance!  There is a website I enjoyed reading about Scone etiquette here as told from an Australian point of view.  What goes on first?  Clotted Cream or Jam?  Where I came from it depended if you lived in Devon or Cornwall, and both counties had their own way of doing things.  

This link will take you to a food blog where they make tea sandwiches.

And we mustn't forget a large pot of tea.  My favorite tea at the moment is Yorkshire Gold served with a splash of milk.  I stopped using sugar for hot drinks in my teens, but remember PG Tips and Typhoo being in my childhood home.  My sister's favorite was Assam tea I remember her telling me once.

In the days when British tea was hard to come by here, every time my parents visited they literally packed a suitcase to overflowing with their favorite brew.  This practice caused a few raised eyebrows among my neighbors, but when they tried their first cup of my parent's tea, they told me they would be packing their suitcase too.  By the time they left several weeks later it was all gone, and that empty suitcase was used for taking back gifts and souvenirs.  Now I can buy British tea just about everywhere, and enjoy a cup or two, or three.

Traditionally I make scones with raisins but I found this delicious recipe for Cranberry Orange Scones, and was eager to try something different. 

Cranberry Orange Scones

Makes 8 scones

1-1/2 sticks of cold butter

1-2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 orange, zested and juiced

2 eggs

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Combine chopped cold butter, flour, sugar, orange zest, baking powder and salt in either a stand or hand-held mixer, until the mixture forms into small, pea-sized clumps.

In a separate bowl, combine eggs, heavy cream and dried cranberries.

Slowly pour the liquids in as the mixer continues to run, and make sure your fingers are clear.  Yes I am overly cautious but you know, I have done silly things in the past and have never forgotten.  Once all ingredients are incorporated, turn the mixer off and scoop the dough onto a floured surface.

Knead the dough just enough to bring it together and create one smooth surface (without seams or folds if possible, it isn't always).

Dust the top lightly with flour and roll the dough out to about 1-1/4 inch thickness.  Cut using a round plain or fluted cutter that has been dipped in flour.  Dipping the cutter into the flour will help between each cut.  Just press down hard and give a slight twist.

Place scones on a parchment-lined sheet pan and bake for 15-18 minutes.  (I did not have any parchment paper so I lined my sheet with non-stick aluminum foil.  This worked out really well.  My scones also baked in the 18 minute range but it will all depend on your own oven.)

While the scones are baking go ahead and prepare the glaze.  For this you will need:

1-1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1/2 cup fresh orange juice (my two oranges produced the 1/2 cup of juice but I suppose it will all depend on how large or how much juice there is in them.  Mine were medium size)

Mix the ingredients until it makes a smooth, pourable glaze.

Leave the scones to cool slightly before drizzling with the glaze.

And there you go, one very delicious scone.  Son really enjoyed his and when I made them originally I was asked for the recipe.  They are pretty rich, especially with the Devon Clotted Cream......

and strawberry jam.  This is the type of cream I have always used, my mother before me.  I can get it at our local supermarket in the section where they also sell imported cheese.  If you can't find clotted cream this website has a recipe.  

I hope you have enjoyed the look of today's recipe.  Thanks for stopping by and have a great week.

Bon Appetit!