Cinnamon Blackberry scones - mini scones!

This morning was an experiment between regular flour + baking soda + salt vs. self rising flour (which has all of that included in the bag.) I was super happy with the self rising flour. My scones were lighter, and the butter layers left visible air pockets, making for a moist, yet hearty texture.

Today's recipe:

Dough:
2 cups self rising flour
4 Tbs butter
3 Tbs sugar
1/4 frozen blackberries
1/2 Tb cinnamon
1/2 Cup buttermilk
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla

Glaze:
2 Tbs cream cheese
3 Tbs powdered sugar + a little more
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
about 2 Tbs milk - enough to thin to desired consistency

Directions:

Mix egg, vanilla and buttermilk in small bowl. In large bowl, combine remaining ingredients and toss lightly. Add all but 2 Tbs of egg mixture into dry ingredients, mixing until they just start to come together. Transfer to counter and hand knead 8-10 turns, not over mixing batter. Divide dough into three parts, making each part into a small round, about 1 inch thick. Divide rounds into 6 wedges and place on non-greased baking sheet. brush tops of scones with remaining egg mixture.

NOTE: Yes, these will be little, mini scones!

Bake for 10-12 minutes in 425 degree oven.

While scones are baking, in small bowl, mix cream cheese (easier if this is near room temperature) powdered sugar and cinnamon together. Slowly add milk until desired consistency is reached - to check, dip spoon in glaze and pull out, letting glaze fall off in a drippy strand. If it doesn't fall easily, add more milk.

You can brush glaze on the warm scones, or drizzle it by dangling glaze a few inches above scones and make zig-zag patterns on top.

Enjoy!

Pecan Raspberry Scones with Orange Glaze

With the big snow day, I was hoping to fill the house with lovely smells and treats when we were locked in the house, but after my birthday baking bonanza, I was out of flour, of all things. So, yesterday Dan and I took the recycling out and ventured for staples. This morning, I took advantage of having the morning off and made the promised treats. I adopted my recipe from Seattlest blog.

Scone:
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 C cold butter
3 Tbl sugar
1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used both pecan and macadamia)
1 Tbl orange zest - or the zest from one medium orange
1/4 cup frozen raspberries
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 large egg

Glaze:
1/4 powdered sugar
1 Tbl orange zest
Juice from 1 medium orange

Directions:
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Work butter into flour with your hands, making small pieces about the size of peas. In small food processor, or by using a knife, chop nuts into small pieces. I also chop the raspberries, making them more evenly distributed in the mixture (if you like large pieces of fruit, feel free to keep them whole.) Add nuts, orange zest, raspberries. In separate small dish, combine buttermilk and egg. Pour egg mixture into flour, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the bowl to use to brush the scones before baking.

Mix together until ingredients are combined. Do not over mix. Kneed mixture 8-10 times, then form into a round about 1 inch thick. Cut into 8 wedges and use the remaining egg mixture to coat the tops.

Bake on an non-greased baking sheet in a 425 degree oven for 12-15 minutes, or until edges begin to golden. Place on cooling rack.

For glaze, combine ingredients until smooth, and brush, or spoon, or drizzle (who really cares how it gets on top) the glaze while scones are warm.

Some notes:

I don't have a basting brush, so since my hand were already messy from kneading the dough, I just stuck them in the egg mixture an patted it on the top. It won't anything. I promise. I also don't have a fancy micro plane for zesting or grating nuts, but I think the small side of a box grater works just fine. If you aren't comfortable zesting fruit, just remember to keep rolling the fruit as you push it though your grater. When you reach the white parts, you are into the rind, and there aren't any tasty oils in there. Also, this took two oranges, but only the juice fro one. Keep that second orange! It's still good! Slice it up to serve with your scones, or save it for your next recipe that calls for juice.

Feel free to shift around your flavor parts. I like to think that scones are like a puzzle, and the color, flavor, and "fun parts" can be changed easily. If you don't like raspberries, feel free to put in black berries, blue berries, or cranberries. Not a nut fan? Try cinnamon, or vanilla bean. Orange make you cringe? Maple makes for a nice glaze, or copy what is on the inside - make a raspberry (or black, or blue, or cranberry) one. If you look at the original recipe, I like that it has both salty and sweet elements, and I put my twist on it here.

Have fun!