Biscuits vs. Scones: Some Kind of Wonderful

I am on holiday in recognition of the life work of Dr. Martin Luther King. Some of the words he spoke live on today. In my lifetime, I recall the year that our school became integrated. I learned at a young age that children are the same in many ways, even if we don't have the same color of skin. Today I watch the students I work with at our elementary school celebrate the successes and diversities of each other in a way that some thought would never be done in the South. Shame on them. We have adjusted very well over the years, and for that I am thankful. Shame on us for thinking any other way than that we are all equally wonderful in our own way. We were living in the shadow of the past, and it just took a few generations of change for us to see what is real and truth. We are who we are because of what we are inside, not how we look outside.

Now let's move from the soapbox to the kitchen and talk about scones. Just as humans come in all sizes, shapes, and colors, so do breads. In the deep South, the biscuit is a staple. My mom laughed at what my first attempt at biscuits looked like. She said they looked like little turtles. Hmmmph. Did not. Anyway, they tasted good. Our biscuit recipe that we love right now, has three ingredients: self-rising flour, butter, and buttermilk. Easy peasy and some kind of delicious.

How does a biscuit compare to a scone? A scone is usually thought of as a bread or slightly sweet cake served with tea in places like Britain or other areas that do an afternoon treat as a "pick me up". One thing I do know, is they are very versatile. There are lots of shapes and degrees of sweetness in scones. I have eaten some that tasted like cardboard, and others that were iced and so sweet I would not call them a scone. I prefer the variety that is fluffy, soft, and slightly sweet but served with jams, jellies, preserves, or sweet fresh fruit. And for me, fresh whipped cream is a must! 

                                                                     Buttermilk Biscuits              

     Creamy Yogurt and Currant Scones

                                                                                 

                                                                                         Glazed Strawberry Scones

My Version of Cream Scones tasted better than they looked!

  

Cream Scone with Peach Preserves Filling

 

 

Cream Scone with Tart Cherry Preserves Filling

I was flipping through a Mississippi Magazine this morning and saw a recipe for Cream Scones. It was very simple, I had all the ingredients on hand, so I thought, why not? When I added the last item on the recipe, the dough did not look right at all. Still very dry. So I adjusted the amount of heavy cream until it looked right, and went with it. Here is my version of the recipe:

Cream Scones

2 cups plain flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
4 Tablespoons cold butter
1 cup whipping cream

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; add sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly. Add cream, and blend well. Flour a work surface and knead dough for 30 seconds. Roll to 1/2 inch thick, and cut into 3 inch rounds. Bake for 15 minutes. Serve with jam and freshly whipped cream.

Whipped Cream

Pour 1 cup of whipping cream into a mixing bowl. Place in refrigerator for 5 minutes to chill bowl. Whip at high speed. When cream begins to thicken well, gently sprinkle 1/4 cup powdered sugar into mixing bowl. Continue to beat until desired thickness.

Tips

One thing that makes baked goods so pretty is when they rise in layers. This scone is so soft and has a really gentle texture. The secret to this comes from the way you knead the dough. When you knead, kind of fold the dough over itself top to bottom. Then rotate the dough and knead again. You will be folding the dough over itself in different directions and when this happens, it creates the many layers that rise beautifully.

To assemble, use a fork and gently split the scone along one of the middle layers. Spread the bottom layer with your choice of jam or preserves. Top with some whipped cream. Replace the top layer of scone onto the whipped cream and gently press to hold together. Top it all off with another little dollop of whipped cream. Finally, sprinkle the entire scone with powdered sugar. Enjoy while warm.

 

The cutter used created a small scalloped edge. So pretty!

 

P.S. This actually occurred yesterday, and I can assure you I enjoyed these scones with sweet abandon and NO GUILT. However, today I signed up to participate in a Biggest Loser to promote wellness at my school, so there will be no scones in my future. Not for a while, anyway. My next post may very well be how to make healthier food choices. I surely would like to win that $500 pot of money!

I hope you will try the scone recipe, if not these, maybe a variety from one of the links provided will be just right. Enjoy dining on a confectionary delight that is "some kind of wonderful".

Blessings to you from the Mississippi Sunshine Girl. If it is dreary in your world, don't fret! Make your own sunshine!

Love,

Becky

This week I am linking up with Made By You Monday at Skip to My Lou and Tasteful Tuesdays at Naptime Creations. Check out these great recipes and creative ideas!