For years I had wanted to host an Easter brunch or coffee or
something, but it was never convenient for my friends to do the morning. Well the last couple of years my church has
held Easter service at the stadium near my home so that now makes my house the
gathering place for friends and neighbors afterwards. Woo hoo, I so love it! I don’t do brunch, but rather I make some
baked goods to serve along with fruit, yogurt and devilled eggs. I get everything ready so that I just have to
put it out on the counter when I get home from service.
One of the things that I’m making this year are “da da da da”…Roasted
Strawberry Scones!
Admittedly this took me a couple of times to get the recipe
right. My first attempt I tried with
whole wheat flour, and didn’t have enough strawberries. They were okay, but not great. Because I think so highly of you, I strive to
only provide you with great recipes! My
second attempt I used all-purpose flour and doubled the amount of strawberries,
et viola…greatness was achieved.
Roasting the strawberries removes some of the liquid and intensifies
the strawberry flavor.
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| The key to tender scones is that all the ingredients should be cold, and to not over work the dough. |
Demerara sugar (aka Sugar in the Raw) sprinkled over the top
adds a little sweetness and some crunch.
White granulated sugar would be fine provided that you eat the scones
the same day as the white sugar tends to dissolve when the scones are stored. With the demerara sugar you can make them the
night before and provided that they have been completely cooled, they can be
stored and served the next day and they will still have that crunch.
Billy loved the second batch so much, that he balked when I
told him I wanted to share the scones with our neighbors. Was it that he’s so dang greedy, or that the scones are so dang good?
Here’s what you do.
Pre heat oven to 400 degrees.
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| Toss the strawberries with canola oil and honey. |
|
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| Lay the strawberries in a single layer on a sheet pan lined with parchment. |
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| Roast the strawberries for 25 minutes. This releases some of the liquid therefore intensifying the strawberry flavor. |
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| Allow the roasted strawberries to cool in a strainer that has been placed over a bowl. Discard the juices, or pour them over some ice cream; just don't add the juices to the scones. |
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| Combine the dry ingredients together in a large bowl, give them a whisk to be sure it's nicely mixed. |
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| Add in some cold cubed butter. |
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| Use a pastry blender or two knives to cut the butter in. |
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| The butter should be pea size. Make a well in the center. |
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| Whisk half and half, egg and vanilla together. |
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| Pour the wet ingredients into that little well that you made. |
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| Just barely stir the wet and dry ingredients together. See how much flour is still visible; stop mixing here. |
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| Add the strained, roasted strawberries. Gently stir them in, just so that the strawberries are evenly distributed. |
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| Dump the dough out on to a well floured surface and sprinkle some more flour on the top because the dough is sticky. See the chunks of butter still visible. |
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| Very gently need the dough just about 10 times. |
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| Use your hands to mold the dough into a 9 inch circle that is 1 inch thick. Cut the dough into 8 wedges. |
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| Brush any excess flour off of the scones and place them onto a sheet pan that has been lined with parchment. Brush heavy cream over the scones. |
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| Sprinkle the tops with demerara sugar, be generous. This provides a nice crunch on the top. |
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| Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the tops are golden brown. |
ROASTED STRAWBERRY
SCONES
Makes 8 scones
2 lbs. Strawberries, hulled and quartered
1 ½ Tbsp. Canola oil
1 ½ Tbsp. Honey
2 ½ cups All-purpose flour
1/3 cup Granulated sugar
2 tsp. Baking powder
½ tsp. Salt
½ cup Cold butter, cut into cubes (1 stick)
1/3 cup Half and half
1 Egg
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. Heavy cream
1 ½ Tbsp. Demerara sugar (Sugar in the Raw)
1.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2.
Toss the strawberries with the canola oil and
honey. Spread in a single layer on to a
parchment covered sheet pan. Roast for
25 minutes.
3.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the roasted strawberries
to a strainer that has been placed over a bowl.
Allow the strawberries to cool completely, while some of the juices
drain. Discard the juices.
4.
Combine the dry ingredients; the flour,
granulated sugar, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl.
5.
Use a pastry blender/cutter or two knives to cut the
butter into the flour mixture; until the butter is the size of small peas.
6.
In a small bowl whisk together the wet
ingredients; the half and half, egg and vanilla extract.
7.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients
add the wet ingredients to the well.
Barely stir the ingredients together.
There will still be quite a lot of flour that has not been worked in.
8.
Add the strawberries to the mixture; gently stir
those in so that they are evenly distributed.
The dough will still be sticky, do not over work it; clumps of butter
should still be visible.
9.
Dump the dough out onto a cold surface (a marble
or granite counter top is great, not wood though) that has a generous amount of
flour on it. Add a little more flour on
to the top of the dough to keep your hands from sticking and gently knead the
dough about 10 or 12 times just to smooth the dough a little, add more flour to
keep your hands from sticking if needed.
10.
Use your hands to mold and pat the dough into
about a 9 inch circle that’s about 1 inch thick. Cut the circle into 8 equally sized
triangles.
11. Brush any excess flour from the scones and place them on to a sheet pan that has been
lined with parchment paper.
12.
Use a brush to brush the heavy cream over the
entire top of the scones, and sprinkle the demerara sugar over the top.
13.
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until the tops are
golden brown.
14.
Remove baked scones to a wire rack to cool.
*
Scones are best if eaten the same day.
** The key to tender scones is cold ingredients, and not to over work the dough.
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