traditional cream scones

There's this wedding tomorrow, and I hear it's going to be a fancy affair. Instead of donning my Sunday best, though, I plan to arrive in my jammies.

I'm not even putting in contacts. My specs will have to do.

As for make-up—ha! Not so much as under eye concealer.

I think the Queen, prince and princess-to-be will understand. They have staff to attend to their needs, while I tend to play staff to my own princesses-in-waiting.

Yes, I'll be one of those dorks waking while darkness still covers New York City, to watch the Royal Wedding. There are lots of naysayers, perhaps even a few of you, who roll their eyes at this thought.

A tragedy happened in Alabama, hundreds of lives lost from a natural disaster, yet it's no match for the wedding of the century when it comes to media coverage.

Happily ever after trumps a tornado.

Yes, that saddens me, but I'm not surprised. News is not what it was when David Brinkley and Walter Cronkite cast their gazes upon us.

But here's the thing. We can't control natural disasters. Okay, the way we abuse our planet has an effect, yes, but this isn't a discussion about global warming.

Tomorrow I'll be tuning in to see what I hope is a bit of closure for a young man who grew up in the spotlight and lost his mother all too soon to a man-made tornado, the paparazzi who still stalk his every move.

As I wake, and pop a fresh batch of scones into the oven tomorrow morning, I'll do so not as a spectator. I'll rise as a mother, hoping the best for own children.

Happy endings aren't the neat stories we read to them at bedtime. They are simply the hope that one day we find peace, resolution and can move beyond the pain of the past. That's something even a blue blood could relate to, I imagine.

DSC01056-1

Print

English Cream Scones

Makes 10

Unlike American scone recipes, which produce a wet, shaggy-looking dough, this one is more sturdy and easier to press out. The scones are what I like to think of as a sweeter, more structured, version of Southern biscuits.

1/2 cup (125 ml) plus 2 teaspoons heavy cream

1 large egg

1 cup (128 grams) whole wheat pastry flour

1 cup (135 grams) all purpose flour, plus more sprinkling

1/4 cup (47 grams) natural cane sugar

1 tablespoon (14 grams) baking powder

1/4 teaspoon (2 grams) fine sea salt

5 tablespoons (2.5 ounces) very cold unsalted butter, cut into 10 pieces

Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside.

Using a fork, lightly beat the cream and egg together in a small bowl; set aside.

Add the flours, sugar, baking powder and salt to a deep medium-sized bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the butter and rub together quickly with your fingers, until it forms a sandy-looking texture with some pebble-sized pieces. Pour in the cream-egg mixture, and use a wooden spoon to stir together until it forms a crumbly-looking dough.

Knead the dough in the bowl a few times until it forms a solid piece. It will seem more dry than other scone recipes if you've made them before—don't worry. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter. Knead it once or twice to give the dough a smoother appearance. Using your fingertips, press the dough out into a 1/2-inch thick circle. Dip a 2 1/2-inch round cutter into flour, and cut out the scones—it’s okay to re-roll and press the dough out again once if you need to.

Place the scones on the prepared baking sheet, and bake for 10 minutes, until bottoms are deep golden and the tops are barely tanned-looking. Remove from oven and rest tray on a wire rack and let cool 10 minutes before serving. Leftovers may be stored in an air-tight container and heated in the toaster the next day.

Wondering what to serve on your scones? I love double cream, but the process to make it seems involved, time-wise, so that project is on the back burner. For now, I'm happy with a dollop of creme fraiche and strawberry preserves. My friend John can show you how to make your own creme fraiche—mine is in a jar on the counter "doing it's thing" as I type.

8 Comments

  • Barbara | VinoLuciStyle

    You so hit on why this matters to me. Despite the craziness brought about by the fact that is is a ‘Royal’ wedding, for me, it’s about a young man, the age of my own daughter, who we watched grow up, lose his mum and are now hoping for this to be the start of his own legacy and happiness.
    And I’m hoping that not without a large measure of equal sadness hearing about the devastation in the south. I can feel both joy and sorrow at the same time…and I do.

  • Elissa

    I will so be tuning into the Royal Wedding, being Canadian and all…she is still our Queen…well, sort of…
    But the closest I get will be English Muffins…

  • Marilyn

    I’m planning on making these tonight to serve tomorrow morning. I won’t be serving them at my house though, or anywhere with a toaster. Will they keep, or should I freeze the dough and plan to bake it in the morning? Thanks!
    JP’s Note: I’ll be baking mine fresh in the morning. My friend Gail, who owns a One Tough Cookie, assured me I could prepare the dough, cut them out and store in the fridge to bake off in the morning. That would be my suggestion too, if time allows you. Just take them out and set on the tray to come to room temperature a bit while the oven is preheating.

  • Mairi @ Toast

    Beautifully & eloquently put, it was lovely to watch something purely happy & optimistic with all the doom & gloom around, and that is a perfect looking scone.