I HEART Scones.
Flickr Photo Credit: Gianna Xalkiadaki
I LOVE Scones. They are so easy and quick to make. Scones are versatile. You start with a basic recipe and the flavor additions are endless. Today, scones are made with cranberries and pecans. I adapted a recipe from America’s Test Kitchen. Saw the recipe on a blog by Linda called, How to Cook a Wolf. Check out her fabulous photos.
Using a tart and flan ring is my new method for shaping scones. I use the 8 inch ring to have a more uniform thickness to the scones. However, using the flan ring is optional.
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CRANBERRY-PECAN CREAM SCONES recipe
Recipe by America’s Test Kitchen
Adapted by Carmen Ortiz of Baking is my Zen
Makes 8
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/2 cup cranberries, chopped in small pieces
Pinch of flour, to coat chopped cranberries
½ cup pecans, roasted and chopped
1 cup heavy cream
TOPPING:
Cream or milk, for brushing scones before baking
Turbinado sugar, for topping scones before baking
PREHEAT OVEN to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
EQUIPMENT PREP:
OPTIONAL: Flan Ring: Set aside parchment paper (about 12×15) for placing and forming dough. Use flan ring to shape the dough.
Set aside a parchment-lined or ungreased baking sheet. Used for baking scones.
FOOD PREP:
Chop cranberries. (I sprinkle a pinch of flour on chopped cranberries). Mix. Set aside.
Heat pecans in skillet for about 6-8 minutes over low heat. Remove from heat. Cool. Chop pecans. Set aside.
Cut butter into small cubes. Put in fridge until ready to use.
Keep heavy cream in fridge until you are ready to use it.
DIRECTIONS: (MAKE DOUGH USING A PASTRY CUTTER)
1 MIX DRY INGREDIENTS: To large bowl, add flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Mix.
2 ADD CUBES OF BUTTER: Add cubes of butter. Cut butter into dough using pastry cutter until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few slightly larger butter lumps.
3 ADD ADDITIONS: In medium bowl, combine chopped cranberries and chopped pecans. Add to flour/butter mixture. Gently combine using a spatula.
4 ADD COLD HEAVY CREAM: Add in cold heavy cream. Using a rubber spatula, combine until dough begins to form.
5 FORM DOUGH: Transfer dough and all dry, floury bits to parchment paper on countertop. Knead dough by hand. Do this just until it comes together into a rough, slightly sticky ball, 5 to 10 seconds. Don’t overwork the dough. The bits of butter is the secret to tender scones. Form dough into a disk.
[Note: I use a flan ring to form the disk. The flan ring is placed on parchment paper. The dough is put in the ring and leveled out using the parchment paper. Try not to touch the dough too much with warm hands. After shaping, remove ring.]
6 CUT SCONES into 8 wedges.
7 CHILL SCONES: Place dough in freezer for 15 minutes. [Or, cover in plastic. Place in fridge overnight.]
8 BAKING SHEET: On parchment-lined or ungreased baking sheet, place scones.
9 BRUSH HEAVY CREAM or milk onto scones.
10 SPRINKLE TURBINADO SUGAR on scones.
11 BAKE at 425 degrees Fahrenheit until scone tops are light brown, 12 to 15 minutes.
12 COOL on wire rack.
13 SERVE warm or at room temperature.
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PHOTO RECIPE TUTORIAL
BY CARMEN ORTIZ OF BAKING IS MY ZEN.
Cranberry-Pecan Cream Scones
Adapted recipe by America’s Test Kitchen
PREHEAT OVEN to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
EQUIPMENT PREP:
OPTIONAL: Flan Ring: Set aside parchment paper (about 12×15) for placing and forming dough. Use flan ring to shape the dough.
Set aside a parchment-lined or ungreased baking sheet. Used for baking scones.
FOOD PREP:
Chop cranberries. (I sprinkle a pinch of flour on chopped cranberries). Mix. Set aside.
Heat pecans in skillet for about 6-8 minutes over low heat. Remove from heat. Cool.
Chop pecans. Set aside.
Cut butter into small cubes. Put in fridge until ready to use.
Keep heavy cream in fridge until you are ready to use it.
DIRECTIONS: (MAKE DOUGH USING A PASTRY CUTTER)
1 MIX DRY INGREDIENTS: To large bowl, add flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Mix.
2 ADD CUBES OF BUTTER: Add cubes of butter. Cut butter into dough using pastry cutter until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few slightly larger butter lumps.
3 ADD ADDITIONS: In medium bowl, combine chopped cranberries and chopped pecans.
Add to flour/butter mixture. Gently combine using a spatula.
4 ADD COLD HEAVY CREAM: Add in cold heavy cream.
Using a rubber spatula, combine until dough begins to form.
5 FORM DOUGH: Transfer dough and all dry, floury bits to parchment paper on countertop. Knead dough by hand. Do this just until it comes together into a rough, slightly sticky ball, 5 to 10 seconds. Do not overwork the dough. The bits of butter is the secret to tender scones. Form dough into a disk.
[Note: I use a flan ring to form the disk. The flan ring is placed on parchment paper. The dough is put in the ring and leveled out using the parchment paper. Try not to touch the dough too much with warm hands.After shaping, remove ring.]
6 CUT SCONES into 8 wedges.
7 CHILL SCONES: Place dough in freezer for 15 minutes. [Or, cover in plastic. Place in fridge overnight.]
8 BAKING SHEET: On parchment-lined or ungreased baking sheet, place scones.
9 BRUSH HEAVY CREAM or milk onto scones.
10 SPRINKLE TURBINADO SUGAR on scones.
11 BAKE at 425 degrees Fahrenheit until scone tops are light brown, 12 to 15 minutes.
12 COOL on wire rack.
13 SERVE warm or at room temperature.
Enjoy your breakfast with your loved one, your family and friends.
I’ve been creating music videos since 2014 using windows live movie maker. This month’s song selection is, Little Things by One Direction.
I want to extend a heartfelt THANK YOU to all the flickr photographers who shared their photos in the music video.
Enjoy my music video,
Little Things by One Direction.
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Love and Peace,
Photo Credit: Nicolas Knepper
~ Carmen
Baking is my Zen
…sweet nibbles for the soul
Photography by Carmen Ortiz. ~All Rights Reserved.
Not to be used without permission.
