Clootie Dumpling Scones

Clootie Dumpling is a traditional Scottish dish served for dessert or fried up with eggs for breakfast. I love it! And, when I saw a recipe for clootie dumpling scones I knew I would love them too! And, since they take about 4 hours less to make than the dumpling itself they are a great alternative! I substituted gluten free flour blend for the all-purpose flour and no one knew the difference!

Clootie Dumpling Scones
(adapted from Scotland National Trust)

3 cups all-purpose flour (or use gluten free flour blend)
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp. mixed spice*
8 Tbsp. butter
1 small grated apple
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup raisins
1 Tbsp. molasses
2 eggs
1/3 cup milk

Preheat oven to 425F. Mix together flour, baking powder, sugar, and mixed spice -- I use a whisk to make sure everything is evenly incorporated. Cut in the butter and use your fingers to rub the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs. Dump in the apple and raisins and mix. Add the molasses, two beaten eggs and milk and stir until just mixed. May add another tablespoon of milk if too dry. Knead dough a few times on a floured surface to pull it all together. Pat out until about 3/4 inch thick and cut into rounds. Place on a greased baking sheet (I just use parchment paper on my baking sheet) and bake at 425 for about 15-20 minutes or until cooked through and lightly browned on top.



*This is a British staple that contains cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and coriander -- sometimes other spices as well. It gives these scones their "clootie dumpling" flavor. However, you can substitute pumpkin pie spice if you don't have access to mixed spice.

Lemon Curd Pavlova

Pavlova with Lemon Curd and Berries
(Gourmet Magazine, Spring 2009)


(Picture shows a double batch)

For meringue:
1 cup superfine granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
3 large egg whites at room temp.
3 Tbsp cold water
1 tsp. distilled white vinegar

Preheat oven to 300F with rack in middle. Trace a 7-inch circle on a sheet of parchment paper and put on a baking sheet.

Whisk together sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl.

Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt using an electric mixer at medium speed until whites hold soft peaks. Add water (whites will loosen) and beat until whites again hold soft peaks.

Increase speed to medium-high and beat in sugar mixture 1 Tbsp. at a time. After all sugar has been added, beat 1 minute more.

Add vinegar and beat at high speed until meringue is glossy and holds stiff peaks, about 5 minutes (longer if using hand-held mixer).

Gently spread meringue inside circle of parchment, making edge of meringue slightly higher than center. Bake until meringue is pale golden and has a crust, about 45 minutes (the inside will be like marshmallow).

Turn oven off and prop door open slightly with a wooden spoon. Cool meringue in oven 1 hour.

Filling:
2/3 c. granulated sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1/8 tsp salt
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
3 large egg yolks
2 tsp grated lemon zest
1 cup heavy cream
4 cups mixed berries

Stir together sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a 2-qt heavy saucepan, then add lemon juice and butter. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, whisking, then continue to simmer, whisking constantly, 1 minute.

Lightly beat yolds in a small bowl and whisk in 1/4 cup lemon mixture, then whisk into remaining lemon mixture in saucepan. Reduce heat to low and cook, whisking constantly, until curd is thickened, about 2 minutes (do not let boil).

Transfer to a bowl and stir in zest. Chill, surface covered with parchment, until cool, about 1 1/2 hours.

Beat heavy cream until it just holds stiff peaks, then fold 1/4 cup beaten cream into curd to lighten. Spoon lemon curd into meringue and mound berries on top. Serve remaining whipped cream on the side.

Meringue can be made 2 days ahead and frozen, wrapped well in plastic. Thaw before serving.

Curd can be made 2 days ahead and chilled.

Orange WholeWheat Scones

This was originally taken from a book called "From the Kitchen of the Two Sisters"

2 ½ c. whole wheat pastry flour
1 Tbsp. Baking powder
½ tsp. Salt
½ c. butter
2 T. honey
¼ c. orange juice
2 tsp. Grated orange rind
¼ c. milk

Sift together dry ingredients. Cut in butter and mix with hands until it resembles coarse crumbs. Combine wet ingredients and add to flour mixture. Knead dough lightly and cut out. Bake at 400 for about 15 minutes.

Sour Cream Scones

These are the scones that Kate served with the Lemon Curd and clotted cream. They are absolutely wonderful fresh out of the oven.

2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
¾ tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. sugar
5 Tbsp. butter
1 c. sour cream

1 egg yolk (use egg white to glaze)

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Cut in butter and mix with fingers until it resembles coarse crumbs. Combine sour cream and egg yolk. Add to flour mixture. Stir just until moist. Knead lightly 10-12 times. Pat dough out and cut with scone cutter. Mix egg white with 1 Tbsp. water. Brush scones with egg white and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 425 degrees 13-15 minutes. Serve warm. Makes about 9-15.

May add any of the following: currants, lemon zest, ,orange zest, dried cherries, chocolate chips, dried cranberries, etc.

(Note: picture above also shows the Orange Wholewheat Scones)

Clotted Cream

This recipe comes from Kate's mother, LuAnne (see Lemon Curd).

8 oz. cream cheese, softened (not low fat)
1 c. heavy whipping cream
1 Tbsp. powdered sugar
¼ tsp. vanilla

Beat cream cheese and whipping cream with mixer until thick. Stir in sugar and vanilla.

Lemon Curd

This recipe came from Kate, a childhood friend of mine. Kate had me to tea one afternoon when our lives re-connected in adulthood and she prepared the most delightful tea of fresh scones, homemade lemon curd, and clotted cream. I took home all the recipes. The Lemon Curd comes originally from "Diane" in Yorkshire. Kate's parents were there on a visit and stayed at Diane's Bed and Breakfast.

½ cup butter
1 cup sugar
3 lemons
5 egg yolks or 3 eggs

Melt butter and sugar in a double boiler. Add grated rind and juice of 3 lemons. Add eggs and cook (stirring) 25-30 minutes or until thickened. If eggs become lumpy, process in blender. Keeps 3 months in the refrigerator.

Hot Cross Buns

After several years of trying various recipes, I think this is the recipe I will be using in the future. It is somewhat involved, but well worth it. The trick is to find something you can do in the kitchen area so you can jump up every now and then to complete the next phase of the recipe. Be sure to read the recipe through thoroughly before beginning so you can get an idea of what is involved.

Also, I'm giving you measurements for about 40-50 rolls. The basic roll recipe I developed this from comes out of the More With Less Cookbook and makes 100 rolls. So, this recipe is easy to double, and also easy to break in half. The pictures shown are for the 100-count recipe (which is the recipe below, doubled).

Dissolve in small bowl:
1 1/2 Tbsp. (1 1/2 packages) dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water

Mix in larger bowl:
2 cups scalded milk
1 cup mashed potatoes (no milk added)
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
grated zest of one orange and one lemon*

Let the milk mixture cool until lukewarm, then add:
yeast mixture
3 cups flour

Let stand until mixture foams (about 20 minutes).
Add:
1 beaten egg
1 1/2 tsp. salt
5-6 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp. mixed spice**
1 1/4 cups currants (I soaked mine in hot earl grey tea before draining and adding; if you don't have currants, you can use raisins, or golden raisins, or a mix of all three fruits)

Here is a picture of the mixture at the foaming stage, just as I added the above ingredients:

Work in as much flour as needed to make a nice dough and then turn out onto a floured surface and knead until it is elastic and feels "done" (about 7-10 minutes). This picture does not show the "done" state, this was at the beginning of the kneading process:


Stick the kneaded dough back into a greased bowl and allow to rise until doubled -- at least an hour, possibly more.
Punch down and form into rolls. Place rolls on a greased cookie sheet. Brush with a beaten egg white mixed with 1 Tbsp. of water.***
Mix about 1/2 cup of flour with some water to form a paste. Put the paste into a little ziplock bag and cut the corner off. Squeeze the flour paste onto the buns to form crosses.
Bake in a 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes until nicely browned.
Here are the buns ready for the oven:
Cool the buns on racks and brush with warmed honey or corn syrup, if you desire:
I freeze these buns after they cool and then thaw them as needed. They will stay fresh, unfrozen, for 2 days, but then they tend to lose their softness.

NOTES:
**Mixed Spice is one of my very favorite smells! I get mine from the UK, so I'm not sure where to send you to get it here in the States. I found a recipe for it at recipezaar.com which I will include. There is not "one" recipe for this though. Just about every bottle you pick up has a different ingredient list! Ingredients include: cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, mace, cloves, ginger, coriander, cardamon, etc.
Mixed Spice: 1Tbsp + 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp. ground coriander, 1 tsp. ground nutmeg, 1/2 tsp. ground ginger, 1/4 tsp. allspice, 1/4 tsp. cloves (The Spice Bible)
I think cardamon would be really nice in the above mix.
***There are three ways to achieve the "cross" on the buns. The most proper way is to make pastry and lay pastry crosses on top of each bun. This is very time consuming, and I never tried it again after the first attempt!
The second way is to mix the flour and water paste and squeeze it out from a bag. This works well if you can get the rest of the bun to brown properly (I had problems with that this year, because I didn't glaze the buns first with egg white. Next year I think the egg white glaze will make a difference).
The third way is to make a thin icing and pipe the crosses on with icing after they are baked and cooled. This is a no-fail way, and makes the buns a bit sweeter, if that is what you are after. They don't store so well this way though, as the icing can rub off.

Irish Soda Bread

This is delicious warm from the oven, or toasted the next day.
Sift together in a bowl:

4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sugar
3/4 cup currants (or raisins)

Add:

2 cups buttermilk (or 2 cups milk with 2 Tbsp. vinegar added)

Carefully mix together to form a dough. Knead for one minute but do not over work. Pat into a circle about 2 1/2 inches high on a greased cookie sheet. Cut a cross in the top about 1/2 inch deep. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 50 minutes.