Spring Recipes Include Asparagus Quiche, Strawberry Scones and Berry Parfaits

Strawberries and Cream Scones

Ingredients:

• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ cup cold butter, cut into pieces
• 1 cup diced fresh strawberries
• Zest and juice of one large orange
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
• Raw sugar for top of scones

Instructions:

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1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a food processor combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Pulse a couple of times. Add pieces of cold butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pour the mixture into a large bowl. Toss in the beautiful diced strawberries and the aromatic orange zest. (Tip: Coating dried fruit, chocolate chips or nuts in a little flour will prevent them from sinking to the bottom when baking.)
3. In a measuring cup, combine the whipping cream, egg yolk and almond extract. Add this to the dry mixture and stir with a fork just until combined. Be sure to not over mix. The mixture will appear dry, but is quite wet. Turn the mixture onto a floured board or counter. This is where the fun begins! Gently press the mixture together until it can be easily kneaded. Don’t you just love the feeling of dough? Knead the dough for 2 minutes by folding and gently pressing the dough together until it is nearly smooth. Roll out into an 8-inch circle. Cut into 8 large beautiful wedges.
4. Place on a greased baking stone or cookie sheet. Sprinkle raw sugar over the top of the scones. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned on top. It is fun for children to watch the scones “puff up” in the oven. When the dry acid in the baking powder is added to wet ingredients, it begins to react and produce carbon dioxide bubbles just like yeast.

Yields: 8 large scones

No Recipe Needed Orange Glaze

Ingredients:

• Juice of one orange
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Enough powdered sugar to form a glaze (this will depend on how much juice you yield from your orange)

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, combine fresh orange juice and vanilla extract. Add a little powdered sugar at a time until you reach a drizzling consistency.
2. Once the scones are removed from the oven, transfer to a cooling rack with a piece of parchment or wax paper underneath for easy cleanup. Drizzle the glaze over top. This glaze will dry in only a few minutes.

Next Recipe: Berry Parfaits

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