There's been so much on my mind recently. Job worries. Economic worries. Struggling with how a new relationship is supposed to look and feel. It's often in the kitchen where my mind needs to shut off and rest a moment, where I need to concentrate solely on the task I've set in front of myself.
Now, these scones are nothing new. In fact, I've made them so often that I feel as though they're finally one of "my" recipes, rather than a recipe I'm simply copying from another source. But I still have to concentrate to make sure that the scones turn out perfectly.
GP's Scones
Adapted from Nigella Lawson's "Lily's Scones"
1 1/3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
4 1/2 tsp cream of tartar (essential!)
1/4 cup of butter, cold and diced (I dice and then put in the fridge to keep chilled)
2 tbsp vegetable shortening (this can be replaced with 2 tbsp butter)
1 1/3 cups milk (I measure and place in freezer while putting the rest together)
lemon juice
1 baking sheet, lightly greased
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Sift flours, salt, baking soda and CoT in large bowl
Rub in fats until the mixture feels like the damp sand at the beach in which you want to squish your toes
Add the chilled milk all at once, and stir just enough to combine the milk and dry goods
Turn out on floured surface and knead lightly to make dough
Roll out to 3/4--1 inch thickness
Use a cookie cutter or glass to form circles about three inches in diameter
Move the dough circles to greased cookie sheet
Brush tops with lemon juice
Bake for about ten minutes, until a light golden hue appears
Serve warm
Variations (added after milk but before kneading):
*Add the zest of one satsuma or half an orange, with dried cranberries or sour cherries
*Add 1 cup frozen blueberries
When I add fruit, I sprinkle the tops with sugar before baking
Viola! Easy-peasy Saturday breakfast.
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