Did we even have November??? I know I’ve said this a lot lately but, dang, people – did someone put earth and it’s calendar on the spin cycle of a washing machine and walk away???
I’ll not lament about the passing of fall and will just get on with these cream scones; the original recipe comes from Ree’s new book: The Pioneer Woman Cooks – A Year of Holidays. My recipe is a bit different but we’ll get to that in just a moment. And before we go any further, Ree and I know each other, she knows The Professor, Ree thinks we’re cute, we think Ree is sweet (and cute – hey Ree *waving*), her kids are cute, Charlie and Walter are adorable, Marlboro Man is Marlboro Man, we both have red hair, we both sing (Ree does a mean Ethel Merman and I sing Barbra Streisand, but that’s about where the similarities end) and last but not least, I have a girl-crush on her sweet sister Betsy – have I covered it all – this full disclosure thingy? I think so.
What I love most about Ree’s books – besides the recipes they contain – are the photos of her life and family on the ranch in Oklahoma; horses, cattle, the aforementioned Basset Hounds, a couple of kitty-kitties and the family – there’s even a photo of Betsy and her darling Elliot. Makes me want to embrace my inner farm girl and head to the nearest ranch.
The recipes are good old-fashioned, straight-forward, recipes similar to what I grew up eating in Walla Walla as a child: Scalloped Potatoes with Ham, Deviled Eggs, Sigrid’s Carrot Cake (only in my house it was ‘Duncan Hines’ Carrot Cake – I think I like Sigrid’s better), Peach Cobbler and the like. But then Ree has added recipes I didn’t have growing up in Walla Walla: Grilled Corn with Spicy Butter, Prime Rib, Fried Quail and Turkey Spring Rolls to name a few; all look fabulous with step-by-step instructions just in case you need a little help along the way.
We enjoy a good scone on a slow weekend morning and these scones (or some variation) are just about as easy as it gets; no cutting in butter, chilling ingredients or rolling dough – you don’t even have to cut them into rounds unless you choose to. Simply mix with your hands, pat out into a rectangle, cut into rectangles or squares and bake; enjoy them with a cup of coffee or cappuccino – perfect for weekends but also right at home on your holiday brunch table. You can even make the dough ahead; just cut the dough into your desired shape, place on a baking sheet and freeze; pull them out of the freezer and bake off whenever your craving for a good scone strikes . . . easy-peasy.
You’ll need to buy the book to get Ree’s recipe unless you’re one of the lucky three readers who win a copy here; just leave me a comment here or on the Smith Bites Facebook page and we’ll announce the winners next Tuesday, December 17th.
Disclosure: I was sent a copy of Ree’s book for review – see second paragraph above; all opinions are mine.
GLUTEN-FREE CHERRY CREAM SCONES
Adapted from Gourmet Magazine
Makes 8-10 Scones
INGREDIENTS:
- 280 grams gluten-free AP flour
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 3 Tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1-1/4 cups heavy cream, plus 2 Tablespoons for brushing tops
- ½ cup dried cherries, rough chop
- Zest from one orange
- Raw sugar for sprinkling tops
METHOD:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees
- In a small bowl add sugar and orange zest; rub between fingers to release the zest oils and infuse the sugar, set aside
- In a large mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar-zest mixture; whisk to blend well; add cherries and toss until distributed
- Add cream, and with your hands, mix dough together until it gathers into a ball – less than 5 minutes
- Turn out onto a lightly floured board, knead lightly until all of the flour has been incorporated
- Pat out into a rectangle that is about 1-inch thick and measures roughly 4×8 inches; I cut my scones into squares or rectangles rather than rounds – the less you handle the dough the better
- Cut scones into desired shape, place on a lined baking sheet and freeze for 10-15 minutes
- Remove from freezer and brush tops with cream and sprinkle with raw sugar if desired
- Bake for 20-25 minutes
This looks amazing!
I have been wanting this cookbook! Ree is amazing! Thank you for the giveaway!
what sweet little petite scones! I love the idea of making them wee sized. They probably taste million times better than starbucks!