Strawberries and Cream Scones

The other day, I had a revelation of sorts. I realized, that I really, really like scones! And more of these flaky, buttery things of goodness should be pumping out of my kitchen. They are the perfect weekend breakfast indulgence. Eat them fresh out of the oven, with a little butter, and it cannot be beat. Yup, life with fresh scones in it doesn't get much better in my world.

I had recently bought a basket of fresh strawberries (because they were on sale, cha-ching) and was dreaming/reading up recipes to use them in. Maybe muffins or a loaf? And then, whilst scrolling through archives of one of my favourite blogs I discovered "Strawberries and Cream Biscuits". (Biscuits, scones, are they the same? I don't know for sure but I do know they are both uhmazing.) Done and done! I could taste the buttery yumminess already.

And since when I made them, Valentines was only a week away so obviously they are heart shaped. Which is another fun thing about biscuits and scones. I love recipes in which you can cut things into shapes... because you can be simple and sophisticated with squares, rectangles or circles. Or you can get fancy and pull out the cookie cutter collection. Fancy dancey.

Strawberries and Cream Scones

Recipe slightly adapted from Smitten Kitchen

(I changed the name of the recipe mostly because I am a sucker for alliteration.)

Notes:

If you don't have a pastry cutter, cut in the flour with two knives. OR use your hands and crumble it with your fingers. OR freeze the butter, then grate it in with a cheese grater. 

If you don't have half and half cream, you can use whatever kind of milk you have on hand. The original recipe calls for heavy cream, I have only tried these with half and half, but I am sure they would still be yummy (and healthier) with milk, just not as rich tasting. 

You are the master of your kitchen, choose your own adventure.

Let's Make Scones! Or biscuits! Whatever!

You will need:

• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 tbsp (3 ounces) cold butter, cut into cubes
• 1 cup chopped, ripe strawberries
• 1 cup half and half cream, (and a little extra for brushing, optional)
• Turbinado sugar for sprinkling (optional)

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Toss in the cubed butter and cut in with a pastry cutter (or, see notes!)

When the butter resembles coarse crumbs, toss in the strawberries and coat them with the flour. The stir in the cream until the dough is combined. Do not over mix the dough at this point, because you don't want to fully blend in the butter. By not fully blending the butter into the flour mixture, your scones will bake up light and flaky! Which is totally what we are going for. No hockey pucks here.

Turn out the dough onto a floured work surface. Gently roll out the dough, flouring the top as needed, to about 3/4" thick. Remember to not overwork the dough too much to keep the butter flaky. Cut out desired shapes, I choose hearts! Place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. At this point you can bake them as is, or you can brush the tops with a little additional cream and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. I tried both, and both are good. The sugar gives an nice added sweet crunch which is always fun.

 Bake at 425F for about 12 minutes until lightly golden on the edges. Let cool on the pan for a few minutes or as long as you can take it, then slice in half, smear on the butter, watch it melt, take a bite, fall in love. You are welcome.

These are also an exceptionally tasty afternoon snack, British Style! With butter and jam, served with a cup of tea. Jolly Good!

Here's to hoping there shall be many more scones in my future. And yours as well.

Happy Belated Valentines Day!

<3 Lari 

Boozy Berries and a Flambe Fail

Have you ever made something that you weren't quite sure how good it would turn out, but you make it anyways, AND IT'S ACTUALLY AMAZING? This is one of those things.

Even while I was in the process of cooking this yummy ice cream topping, I was not so sure what the end result would be like. Our tale begins with Food Network, as so many do.

Once Upon a time (a month or so ago), I discovered a competition on Foodnetwork.ca called "Anna Olson's Bake Off". I am an Anna Olson fan! Because she too is a baker and a lover of dessert. Anybody who has those qualities is pretty much an instant friend of mine. I have been known to wake up a little earlier than I really need to in the mornings, just so I can watch Food Network while I eat my breakfast. "Bake with Anna Olson" is one of my favourite shows to watch, so when I discovered this contest of hers... I obviously HAD to try it out!

The contest goes like this: on the 15th of every month, Anna starts a new challenge where she sends out a recipe of hers for home cooks to try their hand at. You can follow the recipe, or add your own creative spin on it. Then all you have to do is take a photo of your creation, and email it to her with a little descriptive blurb. You have one month to complete the challenge, then Anna picks a winner from submissions and the winner gets sweet Foodie-Related-Prizes! Oh and even cooler, Anna posts ALL of the submission on food network.ca so everyone feels like a winner in the end. How awesome, is that. (Check out my first entry along with the others here!)

Anywho, this is what the challenge was for July/August: Snickerdoodle Cookies with Berries Jubilee. The Berries Jubilee is a fancy ice cream topping that you FLAMBE! (that would be the "challenge" part of the bake off...)

I have never Flambéed before...

I was nervous.

BUT ALSO REALLY EXCITED to see giant flames in my kitchen (That I put there on purpose)

I tried it, with caution!

Nothing happened.

I tried it without any caution at all!

I eventually got the smallest, wimpiest flame of life that fizzled away back to nothing immediately.

In the whole process of this, I added about double the amount of alcohol that the recipe is supposed to contain...

All this led to my doubts of how this was going to turn out. 

Luckily, it turned out like THIS! And was probably one of the better things I have ever made. I have submitted my Bake Off entry with pride, and even if I do not win the contest, I am a real winner here anyways because I now have an awesome ice cream topping recipe... and an excuse to try Flambee-ing once more. (Because even though the flame was small, it was a thrilling experience like no other. It feels rebellious... Muahaha)

I made Chocolate Sauce, Berries Avec Alcohol and Berries Sans Alcohol. Something for everyone. For me: Boozy Berries + Chocolate = Love on ice cream.

Boozy Berries Ice Cream Topping

Original Recipe from Anna Olson

• 3 cups mixed berries (fresh, or thawed frozen) I used 1 cup of blueberries, 1 cup of strawberries and 1 cup of raspberries
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/3 cup raspberry jam
• 3 tbsp Brandy (if you wish to make a non-boozy berry sauce, use orange juice instead)
• 1 tsp vanilla

In a large sauté pan over medium high heat, stir berries and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Add the lemon juice and raspberry jam and stir to incorporate. Carefully pour the brandy in using a ladle to avoid splashing and unwanted flames. Now is the fun part, or the rather anti-climatic part, depending on your flambé abilities. You can either tilt the pan toward the flame to ignite the alcohol, or use a long handled BBQ lighter. If you are luckier than I, watch your berries flame away! And wait for the flames to subside. Turn off the heat, stir in the vanilla, and store sauce in a jar in the fridge.

Serve on vanilla ice cream and share with your neighbours. 

*NOTE* it is truly delish when the berries are still a tad warm, and you also serve it with warmed chocolate sauce. =) We have a winner folks.

<3 Lari

Sweet Strawberry Salsa in the Summertime

A week or so ago I spoke of my family's homemade version of Salsa Fest, in which we sampled a variety of salsas. Most of these salsas made their way into our mouths via tortilla chips, the common vehicle for this delish dish. However, my dessert loving self thought, "Why stop at savory?" and carried the salsa fun into the dessert course!

When I found out that it was Salsa Fest and decided that I MUST have a salsa party of my own, I immediately paroozed the internet for some salsa inspiration.  I am not a huge lover of spicy foods (something I am currently working on building a tolerance for), so when I found this recipe by Michael Smith for a sweet version of this usually spicy condiment I thought, "I can handle this."

And who can't handle Sweet Strawberry Salsa? Served on vanilla ice cream. I know, I know, part of me thought that salsa on ice cream would be kind of weird... but so many things that you think would be weird turn out to be THE BEST THINGS EVER. (i.e. salted caramel, french toast+syrup+peanut butter, tea, sudoku)

So try it. And love it. And eat it outside because it is summer and that is what you do. 

I pretty much followed the recipe (with a small adaptation) but it would be neat to try it with other fruit either replacing or added along with the strawberries. Peaches, mangoes, kiwi... yum.

Sweet Strawberry Salsa in the Summertime

(I like alliteration...)

• 12 strawberries rinsed, hulled and chopped into pieces
• zest and juice of 1 lime
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
• 2 tbsp chopped mint
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut (I used sweetened but unsweetened would be totally cool too)

Okay this is the hard part: Toss everything in a bowl.

DONE.

Serve it over vanilla ice cream, and be surprised at how great salsa can be as a dessert. You can count on me to find a way to turn anything into dessert form. As my big bro would say, are you a Mexican, or a Mexican't?

XO Lari