comfort

Anyone that knows me knows how much I LOVE scones. It’s kind of like my signature thing to make…and eat. There’s this place in my heart that just loves England/Great Britain and the whole tea & scone culture from there. That’s how I’ve come to adore scones and tea…more on the tea part later. My grandkids know that I am always up for making a mess…uh, I mean scones with them:) In fact, that’s always on their list to do when they come over.

Now mind you, not any scone will do. It needs to be crisp on the outside, tender and flaky on the inside. Oh man, I am drooling just thinking about biting into one with butter or whipped cream slathered on each bite. Mmm. My husband took me away for our anniversary last weekend and the place we stayed had the most divine scones ever! I indulged in one both mornings, eating it painfully slow to make the goodness last. With us eating mostly grain-free, this has kind of curbed my traditional scone making habit. I made these when my niece, Sophia came to South Africa a couple of weeks ago. Now days I usually make the grain-free versions, but the real thing is my absolute favorite. In this recipe you will see the flours that I use. Traditionally, white flour is used and works perfectly in this recipe, but I prefer to use some healthier alternatives when using grains… just to up the health value a bit. You will notice that these are darker and they are a little heavier than the white flour version. Be looking for the grain-free scones coming soon.

Typically, scones are served with Devonshire cream, whipped cream, butter and/or preserves. I kind of lean towards the salty side so I love them with butter and Devonshire cream. Terry likes jam and cream on each bite like a true British chap. Is your mouth watering yet?

Traditional Scones

3 cups white flour (I use: 1c spelt flour, 1c rolled oats, 1/2 c buckwheat, 1/2 c white flour)

3 tsp. baking powder (non-aluminum)

3/4 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. pink salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 slightly mounded Tbl. sugar or xylitol sweetner

6-8 Tbl /100-115 g cold butter (it’s up to you)

3/4 cup milk- if using only white flour then you may need a bit more)

optional: 1/4 c mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 200C/400F. In a bowl or food processor combine all of the dry ingredients except the chocolate chips, If you are using the oats then you will need a food processor to process them into a flour. Bowl method: Mix all the dry ingredients together in a medium sized bowl. Cut in cold butter with a pastry blender or you can rub it in using your fingers until coarse crumbs. Food Processor method: put all the dry ingredients into the processor, except chocolate chips. Process until well combined and the oats, if using, are now a flour. Add chunks of cold butter. Process again until mixture is coarse crumbs. At this point both methods are the same. Put the crumbly mixture into a medium sized bowl if it has been in the food processor. Add chocolate chips, if using. Make a well in the center of mixture and add the milk all at once. Fold in the mixture with the milk, being careful not to over-mix the batter. This is the secret of flaky, tender scones. If you have chosen to do the mixed flour combinations then the mixture will be more dry. It just needs to be wet enough to hold together. Pour the mixture out onto a cookie sheet or pizza pan. Gather it into a inch thick flat round disk in the center of your pan. This can take some pressing because it is a more dry dough. Take a long knife and cut the flat circle of dough into fourths. Next cut each quarter into 3 wedges to equal a total of 12 wedge-shaped scones. Carefully, separate each wedge using a floured knife and a small spatula so that the scones are not touching each other. Keep dipping your knife in flour between cuts to separate the scones. Brush each scone with milk using a pastry brush. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until nicely browned. Remove from oven and use a spatula to carefully slide under each scone in case they stuck a bit from the milk that dripped when you brushed them before baking.

Enjoy with butter, whipped cream, jam, Devonshire cream and of course tea!

I know that this pan is old and rustic, but it is my traditional, well-used scone tray along with my grandmother’s teapot.

I hope you fall in love with this English tradition like I have. In our home it has always been a time to gather our family or friends together, have scones and tea, but most of all to enjoy time with each other.

Warmly, Jeanenne

Foodie Mama

Spinach Cauliflower Pizza

Spinach Cauliflower Pizza is a favorite of ours. We eat mostly grain free and with pizza being my favorite Sunday night meal, I was determined to find an alternative. One thing I didn’t want to do was spend every Sunday afternoon prepping dinner, so I’ve shortened the process from other cauliflower crust recipes. The whole steaming of the cauliflower and wringing it with a tea towel was not for me. I eliminated that whole mess of a process pronto, as you will see in the recipe. If you have a pizza stone you will get even crispier crust results. Topping the pizza with large leaf spinach or Swiss chard sauté (recipe below) makes it a wonderfully healthy and flavorful. You are invited to have your own traditional pizza night, like we do, with this cauliflower pizza and feel great after eating it!

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

3 cups riced cauliflower
1/3 cup fresh parmesan cheese
1/3 cup almond flour
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (opt.)
1/2 tsp. pink salt
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 200 C/400 F. Place pizza stone in the oven while preheating. To rice cauliflower- place cauliflower florets into a food processor and whir till it is rice size pieces of cauliflower. Measure 3 cups into a medium size bowl. Add parmesan, almond flour, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes and salt. Mix well with a spoon. Add the eggs to the side of the bowl and stir to break up eggs and then mix into the rest of riced cauliflower mixture. Lay a piece of parchment paper on a flat-sided large cookie sheet. Pour Cauli mixture onto the paper. Spread a little with a spoon, then pat out the “dough” with your hands, shaping it into a large oval pizza crust. This will not be like dough at all, since it has no flour in it. Try to make the crust base fairly thin. You don’t want it thick or it won’t get crisp like. Form a little crust around the edge. Make sure that this will fit onto the stone that is in the oven. When you are finished shaping your crust place it in the oven on your cookie sheet, but if you have a stone~ you will slide the parchment paper with the crust onto the pizza stone in the oven to bake. Bake for 25-30 minute until nicely browned. Now slip the crust onto the cookie sheet and flip it over. Remove the parchment paper and slip the crust back into the pizza stone in the oven for a 5-6 minutes to brown up the bottom. (If not using a stone, just remove the crust on the cookie sheet from the oven, turn it over and peel off the parchment paper and place it back into the oven to brown up the underside of the pizza for 5-6 mins.) Watch it carefully so it doesn’t burn. Next, remove it from the oven and slide it onto a cooling rack to cool crust before topping it.

Spinach & Toppings

2 tsp. oil
6-8 cups large leaf spinach or swiss chard, chopped
pink salt to taste
red pepper flakes, opt.
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 Tbl. olive oil
1-2 cups shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese
2-3 Tbl. tomato paste
oregano
6 baby tomatoes (cut each into 4ths and roast while crust is baking)

While pizza crust is baking, oil large skillet with 2 tsp. oil. Over medium low heat, place spinach or swiss chard (my favorite) in the skillet. Season with a little pink salt and red pepper flakes and cover. Check frequently and flip the spinach over until softened. Try not to let the moisture on the lid into the spinach. You don’t want it too wet. Shred cheese.

To Assemble:

Place cooled pizza crust onto your cookie sheet. Drizzle olive oil on crust. Spread with fingers around crust. This will prevent the crust from getting soggy. Top with tomato paste, spreading thinly to near edge, leaving a crust. Sprinkle with oregano. Next top with the swiss chard or spinach. Using a garlic press, crush garlic over the spinach. Top with the desired amount of cheese.

Push topped pizza off of the cookie sheet onto the pizza stone that is still in the oven, or just simply place the crust on the cookie sheet in the oven. Cook until the cheese is melted. Remove, cool slightly and cut into 12 slices.