Saturday, July 25, 2015

Blueberry Cornmeal Scones from Flavorful: 150 Irresistible Desserts in All-Time Favorite Flavors

It’s been a few months since my last post, but this time I’ve got a legitimate excuse for my absence: I’ve been busy working on the final stages of my new book, Flavorful: 150 Irresistible Desserts in All-Time Favorite Flavors (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015). The official pub date is September 29, but it’s available for pre-


order now on the Amazon and Barnes & Noble sites. This book was two years in the making, and I’m very pleased with how it turned out. It’s beautifully designed, and full of great recipes and enticing photos. Here’s one of the simpler recipes from the book, a tender Blueberry Cornmeal Scone that’s not too sweet and has lots of berry 


flavor. The photos here are not from the book, they were done specifically for this post by moi (the ones in the book are way better!). These scones are great on their own and even better served warm with a French or Irish lightly salted butter. 


Blueberry Cornmeal Scones
From Flavorful: 150 Irresistible Desserts in All-Time Favorite Flavors by Tish Boyle

It’s difficult to find a good scone these days, even at respectable bakeries. Most are dry, tough, and flavorless. The solution is to make your own, using a good recipe and a light touch. These scones are tender and bursting with juicy blueberries, just right for a weekend breakfast, brunch, or afternoon snack. The yellow cornmeal gives them a slightly nutty flavor and hearty texture that stands up to the berries, while a little lemon zest offers a bright note. This recipe makes eight triangular scones, but you can cut out rounds from the dough if you prefer — just pat the scraps back together and cut out more scones until you’ve used up all the dough. I like to eat these with nothing more than a smear of soft Irish butter, but add your favorite jam and clotted cream, if you like.

Makes 8 scones

1 2/3 cups (221 g/7.8 oz) all-purpose flour, plus more for
   dusting
1/3 cup (58 g/2 oz) yellow cornmeal
1/3 cup (66 g/2.3 oz) granulated sugar
21/4 teaspoons (11 g/0.4 oz) baking powder
1/4 teaspoon (1.6 g/0.06 oz) salt
11/2 teaspoons (3 g/0.1 oz) finely grated lemon zest
5 1/3 tablespoons (75 g/2.6 oz) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes and
   frozen for 15 minutes
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (203 g/7.16 oz) heavy cream
1 1/4 cups (160 g/5.6 oz) fresh blueberries
1 egg, lightly beaten with 1 teaspoon water, for egg wash
Demerara or turbinado sugar, for sprinkling

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment
paper or a silicone baking mat.
2. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, cornmeal,
sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest and pulse until blended.
Add the butter and process until the mixture forms coarse crumbs.
Turn the mixture into a medium bowl and form a well in the center.
Add the cream to the center of the well and, using a wooden
spoon or rubber spatula, gradually stir the flour mixture into the
liquid. Add the blueberries and knead the dough very lightly just a
few times, just until it comes together. Transfer the dough to a
lightly floured work surface and gently pat it into an 8-inch round.
Using a chef’s knife, cut the round into 8 wedges and arrange them
on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them at least 1 inch apart.
Brush the scones with egg wash, then sprinkle them with demerara
sugar.
3. Bake the scones for 16 to 20 minutes, until light golden brown.
Serve the scones warm. Store in an airtight container at room temperature
for up to 3 days.