Smiling from Ear to Ear!

Foodie Friday, and I am oh so very glad it is here - let me tell you.  I have been looking forward to this particular Friday due to the fact that the majority of my big projects came to an end yesterday at work, and this weekend one of my best friends, Alex, is coming into town to join a handful of us as we head out and partake in the annual Spring Release weekend in Walla Walla Valley wine country. 

So as a way of ringing in the weekend, I'm treating myself this morning to a lovely pastry, hot tea and Friday's Oregonian.  Very simple, I realize, but so often, while I want to do this for myself before I head to work, I always seem to never have enough time to actually do it.  Well, not today!

One of the frustrations I have come across living where I do is that melt-in-your-mouth pastries are hard to find, and what I have discovered is as long as I have a fail-safe recipe, why not make my own?  So, while I was living in Portland, I came across a simple, yet so very dependable scone recipe in the Oregonian's FOODday entitled "Wednesday Breakfast Scones".  Today, however, they are my "Friday" scones, and I'd love to share them with you.  By now, I know this recipe by heart, but I have dug out the original recipe, which I realized was printed in 2004 and now has flour here and there (actually almost everywhere), but it truly is my favorite simple scone recipe.

Whether the end of your week is today, or you are just getting to the middle of your work week, all you will need is ten minutes to mix this batter up and twenty-five minutes as you wait for the oven to do its job, and viola!  Warm, puffy scones begging to have honey or jam drizzled on them.

Then proceed to get cozy, whether it be in bed, at your kitchenette table, or at work.

Grab your favorite reading material, and forget about the time for a bit.  What a wonderful way to begin the bustling work day that is knocking at your door.

"Friday" Breakfast Scones

Ingredients:

-Yields - 8 scones

*3 cups all-purpose flour

*1 Tablespoon baking powder

*1/2 teaspoon baking soda

*1/3 cup granulated sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for sprinkling (divided)

*3/4 teaspoon salt

*3/4 cup cold unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), cut into small cubes

*1 cup buttermilk

*zest of 2 medium lemons or to taste

*1 tablespoon whipping cream (optional)

KEY STEPS TO REMEMBER!!

*the butter must be cold - frozen preferably.  This is the key to light, fluffy scones.


*I have always mixed it by hand or with a large fork.  If you have a pastry cutter, this works well.  I find it adds I'm not sure what, but I love it. You'll notice the large chunks of butter in a few of my pictures - clearly I didn't use a food processor, but nonetheless, they always taste fantastic.

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Set aside an ungreased baking sheet or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

2. In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, 1/3 cup sugar and salt.  Process with 6 to 8 1-second pulses.  Remove the cover and distribute the butter over the dry ingredients.  Cover and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal with a few slightly larger butter lumps. 16 to 20 1-second pulses.

3. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.  Add the buttermilk and half the lemon zest; use a wooden spoon to stir until mixture begins to form a dough, about 30 seconds.

4. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and divide into 2 equal balls.   Use a rolling pin (or hands) to lightly roll each ball into a circle about 7 inches in diameter.  

Sprinkle half of the remaining lemon zest over the circles, then fold each circle into a half circle. 

Sprinkle the remaining zest on top and use the rolling pin to lightly press the zest into the dough.  Cut each circle into 4 wedges. 

Place the wedges on the prepared baking sheet.  If desired, glaze the scones by brushing with the 1 tablespoon cream and sprinkling with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.

5. Bake until the scone tops are golden brown, 18-32 minutes.   Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes to firm.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Bon appétit!  And I must send out a sincere thank you for the comments I have received this week.  I love catching up with readers I have been communicating with for awhile now, as well as getting to know new lovely readers as you have stopped by this week to say hello.  I hope each one of you has the weekend you've been looking for.

Images: (1)-Simply Luxurious (2) We Heart It (3) Source (4) Source