Thursday, March 3, 2011

Tea with Curd - Curd & Scones

I know… you probably don’t hear the von Trapp children singing with hands clasped in front of them and “curd and scones” doesn’t have quite the ring that “jam and bread” does, but believe me – it’s one of those “to die for” combinations.

We are fully anticipating the upcoming Royal Wedding here and by “we” I pretty much mean “me”… everyone I happen to mention it to says, “Who’s getting married? Do we know them?” Don’t these people stand in the line at the grocery store? Anyway, when you’re hosting a pretend wedding reception for royalty you plan your menu in advance and do a trial run or two. It’s a rough life but somebody has to do it.

Basket of scones
Today I dusted off my old scone recipe to make sure it was as good as I remembered. I’ve been using this recipe at teas for years. It’s not one of those fancy-dancy scones with currants, cranberries orLike a personal lemon cream pie cinnamon chips – this one is perfectly plain so you can top it with whatever you want. And what I want is generally lemon curd and cream. It’s like having your own personal lemon cream pie.

The Dickenson’s Lemon Curd isn’t bad at all. It’s not homemade, but in a pinch it’s pretty good for something you can pick up in your grocery store. Top it off perfectly with a mock Devonshire Cream (which in my opinion is much tastier than a real Devonshire Cream and far less expensive.)

Dickinson's Lemon Curd
Some of my other favorite toppings on a “plain” scone are honey orange butter, orange marmalade or raspberry jam. Strawberry jam is the most traditional topping but it’s not high on my list.

Basic Scones

Heat oven to 425°
  • 3 C flour
  • 1 1/2 T Baking Powder
  • 3 T Sugar
  • 1 t Salt
  • 9 T Butter (the 50/50 blend will work, but don’t try margarine)
  • 3/4 C Buttermilk (OR 3/4 Milk + 1 T Lemon Juice)
  • 1 Egg, lightly beaten
scone ingredientsI haven’t pictured my Tupperware canisters with flour and sugar here – it’s bad enough that you must envy my faux butcher block countertops. Don’t hate me for my gourmet kitchen.

Mix the dry ingredients.

Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or two knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal. I recommend the pastry Until it resembles coarse mealblender – I’ve never had good success with the “two knives” method.
Make a well in the center and pour in the buttermilk. Mix until dough clings together and is a bit sticky. If you’re dough isn’t clinging add just a touch more buttermilk.  

Turn out dough onto a floured surface and shape into two 6-8 inch rounds about 1 or 1 1/2 inches thick. Turn sticky dough out onto floured boardDon’t overwork your dough or your scones will end up tough. Knead the dough only just enough to make it mostly smooth. Quickly cut into pie wedges or cut with a biscuit cutter. I prefer a 2 or 3 inch biscuit cutter.

Place on an ungreased cookie sheetCut with a 2 inch biscuit cutter or baking stone with a bit of space between – you don’t want them to touch. They won’t get very wide, but they should get a lot taller.

Brush with a beaten egg for a shiny brown scone – not too much egg – you don’t want to taste it on there…

Brush with lightly beaten egg
Bake at 425° F for 10-20 minutes depending on the size of your scone. For a 2 inch scone bake about 11 minutes.

This recipe freezes nicely. Freeze in a single layer then place in an airtight container with wax paper or parchment between layers. Take right from freezer to pre-heated oven after brushing with egg and bake for 12-13 minutes. So you can make them now, stick them in the freezer and then have them warm and fresh for your wedding watching at the end of next month.

Bake until golden brown
You’ll get about two dozen 2-inch scones from this recipe. If that’s too many you can easily cut the recipe in half – but why?

Mock Devonshire Cream

  • 1 C Heavy Whipping Cream OR 8 oz. softened Cream Cheese
  • 2 T Confectioner’s Sugar
  • 1/3 C Sour Cream
In a chilled bowl, beat the cream and sugar until medium-stiff peaks form. (If you’re using cream cheese just stir together with the sugar.)
Fold in the sour cream until well blended.

Lemon & Sugar pleaseThis makes about 3 cups of cream.

Brew yourself a proper cup of tea and enjoy.
Today I’m linking with Lori at Paisley Passions Fun With Food Friday

Leslie at Night Owl Crafting
 
NightOwlCrafting
and Haley at Recipes I Can’t Wait to Try. She’s having a blog hop! You can see the hop below – check it out for other recipes you can incorporate into your menus.
 

15 comments:

  1. I love scones! I have to admit though, I've never had a plain one. I'm assuming it's similar to eating a biscuit? Thanks for linking up on Recipes I Can't Wait to Try and adding the blog hop! Be sure and come back this week to enter my giveaway!

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  2. Love your scones and devonshire cream....did you host a tea recently??

    Hugs,
    :) Heather S.

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  3. HaleyLeann - they're like biscuits but not... Scones are more tender, heavier and ever so slightly sweet.

    Heather - nope, no tea recently. Just made scones for me and Michaela. (and the blog... how silly is that?)

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  4. These look great...a traditional scone recipe that I must try for scone loving Mister!

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  5. who needs wedding just give this girl a scone! that's what I'm sayin :p

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  6. So excited for your scone and mock devonshire cream recipes! I lived in London and now crave those quintessential British staples. There aren't a lot of great scones in Utah! Thanks. Following you!

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  7. Yum! Can't wait to taste them for myself. Lisa~

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  8. Yours are plumping up much better than mine ever do... I use the 2 knives method. Maybe that's part of it.

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  9. Beth - check the age on your baking powder. They say it has a shelf life of 3 to 6 months from opening the seal - longer if there is little moisture exposure (be sure measuring spoons are always dry).
    You can test the potency of your powder by adding a teaspoon to a 1/3 cup of hot water. If it bubbles and foams it's still okay.

    Baking soda (an ingredient of baking powder) has an indefinite shelf life if it's kept in a sealed container in a cool dry spot. Pressing down the flap on the cardboard box doesn't count :0)

    I say try, try again - until your jeans don't fit :0)

    Thanks for visiting!

    Sara

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  10. Yummy! These scones look fantastic! I've never tried lemon curd, but I keep seeing it pop up on other blogs and I just may have to give it a try.

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  11. Look...I'm STILL laughing at your "posh" presentation style that is coupled with a child that says goat cheese is "like eating a bag of vomit!" I think we're friends already and don't know it!
    You are ALL THINGS SOUTHERN ( my mother is a North Carolina girl and related to Robert E. Lee) and I am what her family affectionately refers to as a "Yankee" with 5 boys.
    But! I love Jesus...and He keeps all things united...right?!?
    Your blog is beautiful!!!

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  12. Hi there! I just wanted to let you know I'm a new follower, joining you from Hip Homeschool Moms.

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  13. Oh my! Those look wonderful!!!

    I'm following from Hip Homeschool Hop! Would love for you to stop by www.magicalmouseschoolhouse.com, where Disney IS school. We're hosting a new hop today that will run every Tuesday: Tiggerific Tuesday! Blog Hop...or Bounce. Be sure to link up!

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  14. oh my. This looks just heavenly. A friend of mine is hosting a royal wedding party that night and we are all coming decked out in our wedding gowns (for those that might still fit into it) or a bridesmaid gown and tiarra! As a mom of 3 boys, I'm pretty excited to get out since no one here can appreciate interest in a royal wedding! :)

    I'll ask if she needs any help with food and maybe give these a try! :)

    ~Heather
    coming via the hhh

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  15. Scones, devonshire cream and lemon curd is one of my favorite things! If I'd known you liked it, I would have made it while you were here. So enjoyed meeting you!

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Thanks for stopping by. It warms my heart that you would take the time to comment. Well... If you said something nice it warms my heart...

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