The Cheese Board (12 page)

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat.

Combine the lemon peel, lemon zest, and the ¾ cup sugar in a small bowl.

Sift the flour, baking soda, and baking powder together into the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl.

If using a stand mixer,
add the salt and lemon sugar to the bowl and mix with the paddle attachment on low speed until combined. Add the butter and cut it in on low speed for about 4 minutes, or until it is the size of small peas. Make a well in the center and add the cream and buttermilk. Mix briefly, just until the ingredients come together; some loose flour should remain at the bottom of the bowl.

If making by hand,
add the salt and lemon sugar to the bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until combined. Add the butter and cut it in with a pastry cutter or 2 dinner knives until it is the size of small peas. Make a well in the center and add the cream and buttermilk. Mix briefly with the spoon, just until the ingredients come together; some loose flour should remain at the bottom of the bowl.

Gently shape the dough into balls about 2¼ inches in diameter (they should have a rough, rocky exterior) and place them on the prepared pan about 2 inches apart.

Sprinkle the ¼ cup of sugar on top of the scones. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer the scones to a wire rack to cool.

We make these all year round. You would think that the pumpkin would make this scone heavy, but the reverse is true. These have a fluffy, cloudlike texture, and their light orange color is unusual.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the cream, buttermilk, and pumpkin.

Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg together into the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl.

If using a stand mixer,
add the salt and sugar to the dry ingredients and mix with the paddle attachment on low speed until combined. Add the butter and cut it in on low speed for about 4 minutes, or until it is the size of small peas. Make a well in the center and add the pumpkin mixture. Mix briefly, just until the ingredients come together; some loose flour should remain at the bottom of the bowl.

If making by hand,
add the salt and sugar to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until combined. Add the butter and cut it in with a pastry cutter or 2 dinner knives until it is the size of small peas. Make a well in the center and add the pumpkin mixture. Mix briefly with the spoon, just until the ingredients come together; some loose flour should remain at the bottom of the bowl.

Gently shape the dough into balls about 2¼ inches in diameter (they should have a rough, rocky exterior) and place them on the prepared pan about 2 inches apart.

For the topping, mix the sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture on the top of the scones. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer the scones to a wire rack to cool.

 

This scone is different from our usual scone because it has an additional step. Maple syrup and confectioners’ sugar are combined to form a glaze that is spooned on top of each scone. It is important to wait 10 minutes before glazing them. If the scones are hot, the glaze becomes too thin and runs off; if the scones have completely cooled, the glaze will sit on top of them instead of spreading over them.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat.

Sift the flour, baking soda, and baking powder together into the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl.

If using a stand mixer,
add the salt and sugar to the bowl and mix with the paddle attachment on low speed until combined. Add the butter and cut it in on low speed for about 4 minutes, or until it is the size of small peas. Mix in the pecans. Make a well in the center and add the cream and buttermilk. Mix briefly, just until the ingredients come together; some loose flour should remain at the bottom of the bowl.

If making by hand,
add the salt and sugar to the bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until combined. Add the butter and cut it in with a pastry cutter or 2 dinner knives until it is the size of small peas. Using the spoon, mix in the pecans. Make a well in the center and add the cream and buttermilk. Mix briefly, just until the ingredients come together; some loose flour should remain at the bottom of the bowl.

Gently shape the dough into balls about 2¼ inches in diameter (they should have a rough, rocky exterior) and place them on the prepared pan about 2 inches apart.

Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

To make the glaze, 5 minutes before the scones come out of the oven, pour the maple syrup into a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in the confectioners’ sugar to make a smooth mixture.

Line a work surface with newspaper and place a wire rack on top. Transfer the scones to the rack. Let cool for 10 minutes, then pour 1 tablespoonful maple glaze over the top of each scone. Let the glaze set before serving.

 

 

A few years ago, we trained a group of people starting a new bakery cooperative. In order to do this, we opened the store on Mondays, a day we had been closed on for years. A lot of experimenting was done on those Monday mornings. This is one of the creations from those hectic training days. We tried the corn cherry scone first as a muffin, then as a biscuit, until its final version emerged, a buttery, sweet scone studded with dried cherries. The cornmeal tends to make the batter heavy and slow rising, so only buttermilk is added. This acts with the leavening to create a lighter scone. The initial high oven temperature also helps give this scone a push so it doesn’t flatten out while baking. It crumbles when eaten, and the crumbs are very
popular with the sparrows and dogs that hang out in front of the store.

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat.

Sift the flour, baking soda, and baking powder together into the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl.

If using a stand mixer,
add the salt, the ⅔ cup sugar, and the cornmeal to the bowl and mix with the paddle attachment on low speed until combined. Add the butter and cut it in on low speed for about 4 minutes, or until it is the size of small peas. Mix in the cherries. Make a well in the center and add the buttermilk. Mix briefly, just until the ingredients come together; some loose flour should remain at the bottom of the bowl. Let the batter stand for 5 minutes.

If making by hand,
add the salt, the ⅔ cup sugar, and the cornmeal to the bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until combined. Add the butter and cut it in with a pastry cutter or 2 dinner knives until it is the size of small peas. Using the spoon, mix in the cherries. Make a well in the center and add the buttermilk. Mix briefly, just until the ingredients come together; some loose flour should remain at the bottom of the bowl. Let the batter stand for 5 minutes.

Gently shape the dough into balls about 2¼ inches in diameter (they should have a rough, rocky exterior) and place them on the prepared pan about 2 inches apart.

Sprinkle the ¼ cup sugar on top of the scones. Place the scones in the oven on the middle rack and immediately turn the temperature down to 375°F. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the scones are golden. Transfer the scones to a wire rack to cool.