So Many Layers

The reason I love scones is because of the layers. Plain and simple. The delicate taste and dense dough are fun too, but I love how when you bite into a scone you can see and feel all the layers. Now, these are real scones- not the Americanized version. Americans tend to over sugar everything. Scones are supposed to compliment tea, which is delicate itself. They shouldn't overpower anything, really. I had a scone recipe I used several times, but when I bought a new book on clearance at work, I decided to try the scone recipe out. It's fantastic. They're moist but still thick, they rise so very high, and any flavor is a good compliment to them. The best part is you probably always have the ingredients on hand! Today I made blueberry with lemon zest and peach with white chocolate.

Recipe: Welsh Scones

Makes: ~ 16 scones

Recipe originated from: The Modern Baker by Nick Malgieri ( http://www.amazon.com/Modern-Baker-Time-Saving-Techniques-Cookies/dp/B003R4ZIAI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1280418039&sr=8-1 )

Compliments: This scone is so neutral that you can add nearly anything to flavor it. Try whatever fruit is in season for a breakfast scone. You can also add cheese, nuts, or even meat. Just make sure to cut back on the milk a little if you add a fruit that has a high water content... i.e. blueberries, apples or strawberries.

Ingredients:
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 stick unsalted butter, cold
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cream of tartar and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is mealy but dry and powdery.
2. Invert the bowl of the food processor over a mixing bowl and carefully remove the blade.
3. Quickly whisk the egg, milk, and vanilla together and use a fork to toss the egg mixture into the flour mixture. Continue to toss until all the flour mixture is evenly moistened. (I use my hands to mix it all together!)
4. Gently knead the dough 3 to 4 times, until it is smooth. Divide the dough in half and pat each half into a disk about 6 inches in diameter. Cut each disk into 8 slices.
5. Bake on baking sheet lined with parchment paper for 12 to 15 minutes until a very deep golden brown.

Now, if you make round scones like I did then only bake them 8 to 10 minutes. Also, if you're adding fruit or cheese or anything, add that right after you dump the flour mixture into another bowl, before you add the wet ingredients. That way it incorporates more fully. Ta-da! Fresh Welsh scones! I always dust mine with sugar right when they come out of the oven.

After talking with a friend at work this week, I've decided to talk about 'Mise en Place' (said 'mees on plaz'). It's a French term that literally means 'everything in it's place'. We use it in the kitchen to mean that you have everything ready before you start the recipe. So, for instance, I will mise out all the flour, sugar, etc etc and have it in seperate bowls so that all I have to do is dump the milk, egg, and vanilla mixture into the flour mixture. You also preheat the oven, prepare the baking sheet, and have any bowls/whisks/rolling pins out and ready. It lets you make sure you can put away all the spare ingredients, and only have out what you need. So when I made these scones, the only things on the counter were a measuring cup with 1/2 cup milk, 1 egg, and 1 tsp vanilla already mixed, a Cuisinart with the dry ingredients and butter ready to go, the bowl I was mixing in, my fruit, biscuit cutter, bench flour, rolling pin, and finally my prepared pan. You work more efficiently this way. It's less clean-up in the end, and you're not rushing around grabbing ingredients as you go along. You miss less steps/ingredients with Mise en Place. That way, while you're baking off your scones, you can wash the bowls, measuring cup, etc etc and then you are pretty much done cleaning when your scones come out of the oven. Work faster, work cleaner, work more efficiently. Chefs are notorious for taking short cuts and being lazy. If there is an easier way to do something, they'll do it. This is faster and easier. So try Mise en Place. You won't be as tired or dirty when you finish cooking!

Abby xx