Weekend Cooler Challenge Recipe: Multigrain Spiced Scones

Our story of one weekend, two people, one cooler continues. Gaylin and her Chef’s Jacket are ready to get busy making the next item on the list when…well, I’ll let her tell you. Just a reminder: my text is blue, Gaylin’s is black).

Multigrain Spiced  Scones

This is actually one of the items that I didn’t get to make because of the call I got right at the time baking was getting prepped.  The call brought me to a screeching halt and I ultimately had to completely change things. This is one of the recipes that I’ve actually not yet blogged about, mostly because I keep playing with the ingredients, but I’ve been playing with it for so long that I don’t even really measure any more.

I start with about 6 tablespoons of ice cold unsalted butter. If I’ve not made the butter myself then I use butter from my raw milk folks. If the butter isn’t cold enough, I cut it into blueberry sized pieces and spread them out on a small plate that I stick in the freezer for about 15 minutes while I measure out everything else. If all else fail and you can’t use raw milk butter, try for organic. We also sometimes use Amish butter, if local or organic aren’t available (getting organic anything in my town can be a real challenge, and we don’t always have enough butter for baking). The butter quality will make a big difference in your baked goods. And, if you’re even considering using margarine, consider that a new study from Purdue University is showing that, like artificial sweeteners, artificial fats may actually cause weight gain.

While that’s cooling off, I combine about 2 cups of various kinds of flours. Usually at least 1 cup is plain wheat flour from Hampshire Farms. I’ve been varying the quantities of the others, but so far I haven’t settled on anything. If all you use is 2 cups of all-purpose flour from a trusted source, you’ll be good. To the flour I add 1/3 cup organic sugar (I can usually get a Michigan variety, but I don’t have the container at the moment to tell you which). (Note: so far, I can’t find VA sugar. If anyone knows where I can get some, please leave it in the comments!) I also add 1 tablespoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt. These dry ingredients all get whisked together until thoroughly combined.

By this time the butter is good and cold, so I scatter it about on the flour mixture and mix it all with my fingers quickly until everything looks like lumpy bread crumbs and none of the pieces are any larger than small peas. To this I add about 1/3 to 1/2 cup seeds, small pieces of nuts (the last crumbs in the bag work well), or small bits of dried fruit (raisins or cut up apricots). Once that’s all mixed evenly, I add all at once 1 egg (from the Amish egg sellers) and 1/2 cup raw milk. If I have it, I add a few scrapes of lemon zest or a couple of swipes of nutmeg and a pinch of cinnamon.

Everything gets mixed only until the dry ingredients are just moist (you want to avoid working this dough much if at all). I gather this all up into a ball and then place it onto my large cutting board that I’ve dusted with a little flour, then I pat it out into a circle about 8 to 10 inches wide (I measure against a baking pan I have). I cut this dough round into about 8 pieces and place it onto my stoneware baking sheet (ungreased cookie sheets work great too). I sprinkle them with cinnamon sugar and then bake at about 425F for about 15 minutes.

Most of you know I don’t bake because it explodes, but Thadd bakes most of our breads, sweet, etc.. He makes similar scones, but instead of dividing them up, much of the time he makes them into a round and scores the top. Both ways work well, and they’re always yummy. This is a great way to use up small bits of nuts or dried fruit (or, if you’re going to eat it fairly quickly, you can use small, fresh fruit so long as it’s not too wet).

Related articles

• Plain Scones (dortyfockerskitchen.wordpress.com)
• Strawberry Scones-oh my! (lastradatostada.wordpress.com)
• Lavender Scones (jenawix.wordpress.com)

Thanksgiving Mini-Event, Post 2: The Up-Rising.

Hey, I have a lot of cooking to do, so no rude comments about my bad puns!

The cornbread is drying nicely. It’ll stay out the rest of the day and tomorrow to finish crisping up, then I’ll add moisture back in with local VA wine, butter, broth, and fruit.

The ciabatta rolls are progressing nicely, as well. The second rise and kneading:

And it’s ready for the final rise, after which it looks like this:

You can see the difference in the dough now. It’s smooth, not shiny or sticky, pliable, and nicely puffy. So, it’s time to make it into dinner rolls. First, the work surface is liberally dusted.

Thadd’s a very thorough kind of guy:

This is why we have to have someone come in to help us clean the house: neither of us are exactly neat cooks. So, once the surface is floured, the dough is cut into 2 oz. measures and formed into rolls.

And, they’re ready to be baked. They’ll wait here, rising a bit, until the oven is up to 500 degrees.

Next up, later today: finished rolls, Thadd’s Famous Cinnamon Rolls, bird brining and The Monster Turkey. Check back!

 

Thanksgiving Day Mini-Event, Post 1. Let the Fun Begin!

The cooking has officially begun.

Last night, I whipped up the cornbread and let it cool. This morning it was torn into pieces for drying in an oven warmed, then turned off.

The recipe I used:

• 3 1/2 cups stone ground cornmeal
• 1/2  cup organic whole wheat flour
• 6 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups fresh whole milk
• 3 tbs. fresh yogurt
• 4 large eggs
• 6 tablespoons fresh butter, melted and cooled

Heat oven to 425°.  Spray 9″x13″ pan with baking spray, or butter and flour. In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients, and whisk to mix. In separate bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients. Make a well in the flour mixture and pour wet mixture in. Stir just until all ingredients are moistened.  Pour into baking dish and allow to set for 5-10 minutes for a nice crown. Bake for  20 minutes, or until browned and firm to a light touch. Cool on rack, then dump into a bowl or large, deep pan and crumble for drying.

In the meantime, Thadd got working on the ciabatta dinner rolls, setting up the poolish last night, and starting the first rise this morning.

Then, the kneading before the second rise.

First, prep the table with sifted flour:

Then, flop the dough onto the table, and scrape the dough bits out of the bowl:

The first knead is more of a stretch-and-fold than a traditional kneading:

Once the dough is kneaded, it goes back in the bowl for it’s second rise:

And, that’s where we are currently. Late will be cinnamon rolls and brining the turkey!