Suppose I should throw in my own contribution to the smorgasboard here. Scones. On their own, the ultimate in breakfast food/snack/coffee treat.
D's scone recipe.(As adapted from
Dad's Own Cookbook)
HardwareNothing major for this one- 2 mixing bowls and a pair of cookie sheets.
Software4 cups flour
3/4 of a cup of sugar
6 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1&1/2 sticks butter
2 eggs
slightly less than one full cup of milk.
Procedural1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Combine dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl.
3. Soften the butter, and knead it into the mixture as well. Keep working it with your hands until the entire mixture has the consistency of rough-ground cornmeal.
4. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl, and add in the milk.
5. Once mixed, pour the egg/milk combo in with the rest of the mix and start stirring it all together. The dough, when fully mixed, should feel slightly moist, but not sticky. You may need to add in a couple of handfuls of flour to get to the right consistency.
6. Once you're here, turn the dough out onto a floured cutting board, Knead a few times, and then cut into four equal parts. Knead each of these into a round- about 6 inches across and 1 deep.
7. Place 2 rounds onto a single cookie sheet, and using a large knife, cut each round into 8 wedges. Move these about an inch or so apart from each other.
8. Bake on the center oven rack for 12-13 minutes, or until just a hint of browning begins across the tops.
ModsOnce you've hit Step 6, you can add just about anything you want- either before or after dividing up the rounds. Some combos that have worked for me:
A couple handfuls of mixed frozen berries (if you want it sweet, you may want to sprinkle a few teaspoons of sugar over the berries- otherwise this can be fairly tart.)
Spices- I recommend a good mix of the basics: cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg.
