I wanted to make these for breakfast Sunday but I forgot how they grew. When done, I did not have a platter/plate to put them on and used my largest cookie sheet. But Oh so good!
- 20-24 frozen dough rolls
- 1 cup dark brown sugar (more if you wish)
- 1/3 cup instant vanilla pudding
- 2 tbsp. cinnamon
- 1 1/2 – 2 cups chopped pecans/pistachio nuts
- 1/2 – 3/4 cup melted butter
The night before, spray a bundt pan with non-stick spray and set in the frozen rolls.
Now add the layers of ingredients and cover with a tea towel. Go to bed and in the morning…
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake these for 25 minutes. Leave them for about 5-8 minutes before trying to serve. Enjoy!!!!!
Blood Orange Scones With White Chocolate Drizzle/Lavender Jelly
This is a really great treat for morning coffee or afternoon tea with your friends. The flavours are exquisite and I know you will enjoy them.
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 Blood Oranges, zested, peeled and segmented
- 1 1/2 cup flour (little bit more for dusting)
- 1/2 cup rolled oats (not instant)
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- pinch of salt
- 6 tbsp. cold butter, cut in cubes
- 2 tbsp. honey
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 2 tbsp. buttermilk
- 4 oz. white chocolate, chopped
- Make ahead, lavender jelly from recipe below
Preheat oven to 425 degrees, and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a small bowl rub together the blood orange zest and sugar. Chop the orange segments into small pieces and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt and just 2 tbsp. of the mixed sugar.
With a pastry cutter or your fingers, work the butter into the flour until it resembles a coarse meal no bigger than a pea. Now add the fruit segments, honey and yogurt, tossing until the dry ingredients are JUST moistened.
Turn the dough out on a floured surface and form into a circle of approximately 8 inches and 1 inch thick. With a sharp knife cut into 8 wedges. Place on the parchment lined cookie sheet and brush the tops with the buttermilk and generously sprinkle the remaining mixed sugar over the tops. Bake only until golden brown for about 14-26 minutes. Place on a cooling rack and cool down for about 10 minutes.
Melt the white chocolate and drizzle over the scones letting it set for about 5 minutes before serving. Serve on pretty plates with a generous dollop of lavender butter on the side.
Lavender Butter
This will make 4 half pint jars.
- 3 1/2 cups water
- 3/4 cup dried culinary lavender
- 2 tbsp. white wine vinegar
- 3 oz. liquid pectin
- 4 cups white sugar, measured exactly
Prepare the jars by sterilizing the jars, screw tops, lids and place on a rack. I do my jars in the oven in a 325 temperature after washing and keep them warm until ready to use.
Pour the water into a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the lavender, letting steep for about 20 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh sieve and place in a clean, large saucepan and discard the lavender. Stir in the vinegar and pectin. Place saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Carefully add the sugar and allow to come back to a boil. Stir this often for about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and skim off any foam, Now remove the jars from the oven and fill the jars with the jelly. Make sure to wipe the rims of the jars clean before adding the lids and screw bands.
In a large saucepan, fill with enough water to cover the jars by about 1 inch, Once the water comes to a boil, time it for 10 minutes. Remove and set on a towel and leave overnight. Store in the refrigerator and enjoy with those luscious butter.
Lemon Thyme Buttermilk Biscuits
Okay, you know you are having company be it for Easter or perhaps at Spring break with the children. This, my friends is a wonderful way to serve biscuits with your breakfast fare. Goes really well with scrambled eggs and bacon. Add some chilled watermelon slices or berries, juice and coffee. There, I just gave you breakfast.
This can be made ahead, cut into rounds and chilled on a baking sheet for up to 2 hours.
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tbsp. baking powder
- 1 tbsp. Thyme, finely chopped
- pinch of salt
- 1 large lemon*
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1 cup plus more for glaze of buttermilk
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Place the flour, baking powder, thyme and salt in a food processor. Finely grate the zest of the lemon and add to the mix. Pulse to incorporate.
Add the cold butter, a few pieces at a time, and pulse until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Place this in a bowl and squeeze 2 tbsp. of lemon juice into the buttermilk to make a slightly sticky dough.
On a floured surface, put out the dough and gently knead. Pat the dough into a 1/2 inch thick round disc. Use a floured 2 1/2 inch cookie cutter and cut 12 rounds, placing them on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
Brush the tops of the biscuits with some buttermilk and bake until the become puffed and golden (13-15 minutes). Serve on a plate with butter and preserves on the table. Oohh these make my mouth water they are so incredibly light, tasty and ever so yummy.
* it just may take another half or whole smaller lemon to make the 2 tbsp.
Blueberry Biscuits With Blueberry Sauce
The big secret with super good biscuits is having a light touch. You can’t mess this one up. No rolling – no blending butter. Try it and you will love this one forever. Besides, blueberries are a super food.
- 2 cups flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 2 tbsp. sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, stir the dry ingredients together. Toss the blueberries in the flour mixture and stir the cream into the flour until JUST moistened.
Turn the dough out on a floured surface. Gently lift and fold dough about five times. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet and form the dough into a 8 inch circle about 1 inch thick.
Using a floured pizza cutter, cut 12-14 biscuits leaving the biscuits intact. Bake in the upper half of the oven for 18-20 minutes until golden. Cut or pull apart when ready to serve with the Blueberry Sauce (recipe follows).
Blueberry Sauce
- 2 cups blueberries, divided
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp. water
- 1 tsp. vanilla
In a saucepan combine the ingredients and bring to a simmer. Cook and stir the berries until the berries pop and becomes thickened.
Remove from the heat and add 1 tsp. vanilla and the remaining berries. Serve warm.
Invite a few friends over, make a fresh pot of coffee/tea and enjoy.
Raspberry Scones With Warm Compote
A cloudy day (perhaps even rainy), feeling blue….this is a wonderful pick-me-up. So much so, you will want to invite the girlfriends down to share.
- 2 cups flour
- 3/4 cup sugar, divided
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 1/3 cup cold butter, coarsely grated
- 2/3 cup 10% cream plus more if required
- 1 x 1 lb.container of fresh raspberries, cut in half (2 2/3 cups divided)
- 1 tbsp. lime zest
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Stir the flour with 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Use a fork and mix in the grated butter until the mixture is quite crumbly. Stir in the cream 1 tbsp. at a time until it just comes together. Add more cream if necessary but do not over mix.
Scoop 1/4 cup of the mixture for each portion and shape into a 1 inch high round scone. Set on the baking sheet.
Bake for about 16-18 minutes until slightly golden on top. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Make a fresh pot of coffee and while that is dripping/perking, continue on to make the compote.
Combine the remaining raspberries and 1/4 cup of sugar in small saucepan. Add the lime zest and cook, stirring often, until the sugar is completely dissolved and berries are soft. Serve warm with the scones.
oh, yeah, get the door, your friends have arrived.
Chocolate Scones
This would be a great breakfast addition instead of the same old toast. Or it could be a tasty treat for the girls arriving for a morning coffee visit. They are yummy and not too sweet, so everyone would enjoy them.
- 3/4 cup whipping cream (of course)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp. really good vanilla (Mexican is THE best)
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 2 tbsp. sugar
- 4 tsp. baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 1/3 cup cold, unsalted butter, cubed
- 8 oz. (generous) of good quality milk chocolate*, chopped
- 1 egg yolk
Whisk together the cream, eggs and vanilla and set aside.
In a large bowl whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender (or fingers) until you have pea sized crumbs. Stir in the chocolate. Now with a large fork, stir in the cream mixture until a soft dough forms.
On a lightly floured surface, turn out the dough and knead a couple of times until it comes together. With your fingers, pat the dough into a 9 inch square. Cut into 9 squares and then cut each square on the diagonal. Brush the tops with a mixture of egg yolk and 1 tsp. water (well mixed).
Turn out on parchment lined baking sheets and bake in a 450 oven for about 12-14 minutes until the tops are a golden colour. For the best flavours….serve warm. Fresh coffee, latest news….WOW! What a day.
*If you use a lesser quality chocolate, it will be gritty and I hate that. Always use the best you can and you will never fail.
Cranberry Butter
This is a great flavoured butter to use in many ways, but one of the best is to make gingerbread scones and use this butter. Try it with turkey sandwiches, perhaps. Besides, this is one recipe you can set aside for Christmas which is only four months away. Oops!
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- 1/4 cup Grand Marnier or just orange juice
- 1/2 cup berry sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1 cup of room temperature butter
In a small saucepan on medium heat, stir the cranberries, Grand Marnier or juice, sugar and salt and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer until the cranberries have split open and the sauce has started to thicken (about 20 minutes). Remove from heat and let stand for 15 minutes.
In a food processor blend together the butter and cooled cranberry mixture for about 2 full minutes. Spoon into a serving bowl .
There, that’s all there is to it.
Gingerbread Scones with Cranberry Butter
Whenever I go to a Bakery/Eat In place, I pretty much always look at their scones. I love scones. Here you can make your own (perhaps to share with a friend over coffee/tea) and the step up is to make your own Cranberry Butter. Truly awesome fare.
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 1/2 cup rolled oats (not instant)
- 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 tbsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. freshly grated ginger
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- pinch of ground cloves
- 1/2 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1 large egg
- 3 tbsp. molasses
- 3 tbsp. chopped crystallized ginger
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla
- 1 tsp. finely grated zest
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place one cookie sheet inside another one and line the top cookie sheet with parchment paper. (To use two cookie sheets will help prevent burning).
In a large bowl whisk together the sifted flour, baking powder, spices and whisk together with the oats and brown sugar. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until coarse crumbs. Toss in the raisins and crystallized ginger.
In another bowl whisk together the egg, molasses, vanilla and orange zest. Add to the flour mixture and gently toss together until the dough forms. DO NOT OVER MIX OR THEY WILL BE REALLY TOUGH. Turn dough out on a floured surface and press into a 7 inch circle and about 1 1/2 inches thick.
Cut into 8 wedges and transfer to the cookie sheet.
Topping
1 egg
2 tbsp. cream
1/3 cup turbinado sugar
Whisk together the egg and cream and brush over the tops of the wedges and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar.
Cranberry Butter
1/2 cup finely chopped cranberries
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup icing sugar
zest of 1 lime
In a bowl, mix all the ingredients until well blended. Place the butter of plastic wrap and roll into a log.
With a paper towel, squeeze out all the excess liquid and place in the rerigerator until really firm.
Cut into rounds and serve with warm scones. OMG…these are fabulous.
Individual Cinnamon Rolls in Paper
I’m rushing the season just a little..I have had enough of winter. You too? When the weather is warm enough to have breakfast or brunch on the deck, try this one out. Save it for a romantic breakfast for two or when you have guests staying the weekend.
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- pinch each of cloves, nutmeg and allspice
- 1 3/4 cups sifted flour
- 1 3/4 tsp. baking powder, sifted
- 1/2 cup golden raisins (optional) or
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans (optional)
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 tbsp. melted butter, for brushing
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the first three items and set aside. Put the sifted flour, baking powder together and add the raisins or nuts (or not) and make a well in the center. Slowly add the milk/cream, stirring until a soft dough forms.
On a lightly floured surface, turn out the dough and knead until it becomes smooth and elastic. Roll this out to approximately 12″ x 14″.
Brush with butter and sprinkle evenly the sugar mixture, reserving a generous tbsp. for later. Roll the dough up, starting on the long side and then cut into 8 pieces.
In a large muffin tin, cut parchment paper to fit and hang up over the top of the pan edge and place a slice in each one. Brush the tops with butter and sprinkle the remaining sugar on top. Bake for about 25-28 minutes until golden in colour.
Serve in individual large “cups”, add a fresh flour on the saucer and present with a piping hot cup of coffee. Ummmm!
Oh, and don’t forget to have fresh butter on the side, just in case. Just sayin’…….
Banana Scones with Crystallized Ginger
Unusual flavours but very enjoyable with a cup of freshly brewed tea/coffee on a wintery day.
- 2 cups flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 1/4 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. finely grated lime zest
- pinch of salt
- 5 – 6 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1/2 cup ripe banana (not mushy) diced
- 1 tbsp. finely chopped crystallized ginger
- 3/4 cups plus 2 tbsp. heavy cream
- sanding sugar (yellow or white)
Place the rack in the oven in the top third and preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, lime zest and salt together. With a pastry cutter, blend the butter together until only a few pea sized lumps of butter remain.
Stir in the lime and ginger and add the cream. With a fork stir until it just comes together.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and gently press it into a 7 inch circle about 1 inch high. Using a very sharp Chef’s knife cut into 8 wedges. Place these onto parchment lined cookie sheets, spaced about 10 inches apart. Brush the tops with heavy cream and sprinkle with the sanding sugar.
Bake for about 20-25 minutes, rotating halfway through the time so the tops brown evenly. Transfer to a rack and cool for about 5 minutes before serving.
Glaze
- 3/4 cup icing sugar
- 1 – 1 1/2 tbsp. lime juice
- 1 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
- pinch of salt
Mix together until smooth and drizzle over warm scones. Serve with butter.
Now, what could be better. If you wish, also serve with lime marmalade.
oooh, so delicious.
Three Cheese Scones
Another great addition to a breakfast of eggs, bacon and juice. You could also serve these at lunch with a salad. They are truly yummy.
- 1/2 cup Emmental cheese
- 1/2 cup Balderson ‘s 5 year aged cheddar
- 1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
- 1 whole egg
- 1 egg, separated
- 1/2 cup light cream
- 2 cups flour
- 4 tsp. baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup very cold, unsalted butter
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix the Emmental and cheddar cheeses and only 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese in a large bowl.
In a small bowl, beat a whole egg, egg yolk and cream until well blended. In a food processor mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. Grate the cold butter into the flour. Add this to the cheese mixture and mix together.
Add the egg mixture all at once and stir with a fork. Press the dough into a ball and knead gently on a floured surface up to 10 times.
Roll into a circle 1/2″ thick. Place on a parchment covered pan and score the surface into 12 wedges. Brush with the egg white and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top. Bake 12-15 minutes.
Serve warm with butter, scrambled eggs, sausages or bacon and enjoy.
Papaya Scones
When the girls pop over for coffee in the morning or your Mother-in-law shows up for tea in the afternoon, treat them with these.
- 2/3 cup buttermilk
- 1 egg
- 3 cups flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 4 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup butter (cold, so you can grate it)
- 1/2 cup dried papaya, chopped
- 1/4 cup golden raisins
- 1 tsp. grated lime zest
- 1 tbsp. softened butter
- Butter, (you might even want to use a flavoured butter, listed on this site)
- Preserves of your choice
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Pour the buttermilk into a measuring cup and beat in the egg.
In a large bowl, blend together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Grate the butter into the flour mixture and bring together with your hands.
Add the papaya, raisins, zest and stir to mix. Add the buttermilk all at once and stir until a soft dough forms. At this point, you may have to add up to a 1/4 cup of buttermilk.
Turn the dough onto a floured board and knead 6-7 times until well mixed. Pat out until it is about 1″ thick. Dip the rim of a glass in flour (no bigger than 2″) and cut out the scones. Place them on a parchment lined pan and bake anywhere from 18-20 minutes. Brush the tops with the softened butter and serve warm with fresh butter and preserves.
Of course, this sounds like tea should be served along with them. Your choice.