Rhubarb Honey Yogurt Scones with Lemon and Rosemary

Last we spoke, I told you I was making Rhubarb Honey Yogurt Scones and I told you I’d let you know how they turned out. 

They turned out heavenly.

I wasn’t really trying to keep all of this goodness to myself.  Really, I wasn’t.

I just happened to get busy baking cakes for a few friends and neighbours celebrating birthdays and anniversaries and such.

Oh, and maybe a wedding. Or two.

So I haven’t been able to share these with you until now. But truth be told, they’re worth every minute you’ve waited.

These scones are magically light and fluffy with a zesty sweetness of jammed rhubarb and candied lemons balanced out with a little drizzled honey and a sprinkle of rosemary. 

They bake up tender and biscuit-like, but have the texture of a typical scone and I just love how rustic they look, once baked. 

They’re best served slightly warm and taste just as good without butter or preserves as they do with them.

This is the yogurt and honey dough with the jammed rhubarb folded in.

Gorgeous.

The dough is gathered into a ball on a floured surface, cut into 8 wedges and sprinkled with candied lemon zest and chopped rosemary.

I adapted these scones from a recipe by Joy the Baker for Grapefruit Honey Yogurt Scones, which you can find here. 

I used Joy’s idea for grapefruit and switched it out with the rhubarb, lemon, and rosemary,which may sound strange, but it really, really, works so you’re just going to have to trust me on this one.

Besides, my middle name is Joy, so you never know, we just may be kindred spirits when it comes to scone flavour combinations.

Rhubarb Honey Yogurt Scones with Lemon and Rosemary

Makes: 8 Scones

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar plus 1 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons honey plus more for drizzling

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold

1 cup rhubarb, chopped

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/2 cup plain yogurt

few sprigs of fresh rosemary, chopped fine

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. In a medium pot, simmer rhubarb with brown sugar until it thickens into a jam. Set aside.

3. Zest the lemon and rub together with the tablespoon of sugar and set aside.

4. Dice cold butter into small chunks and add to the dry ingredients.  Using a pastry mixer or your fingers and working quickly, break the butter down into the flour mixture until the butter chunks are the size of small peas.  Add the honey, plain yogurt.  Toss together lightly with a fork until all of the dry ingredients are moistened by the yogurt and honey.

5. Next add the jammed rhubarb and fold gently.

6. Turn the scone dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  Form into an 8 inch circle, about 1 inch thick. Use a knife or a bench scraper to cut the dough into eight scone triangles.  Place the triangles on the prepared baking sheet.  Generously sprinkle the tops of the scones with the candied lemon zest and chopped rosemary.

7.  Bake for 15 minutes, until slightly gold brown on top and firm but soft in the center.  Drizzle each scone with honey and allow to cool on the pan for 10 minutes before serving.  Serve warm with butter or jam.  These scones are best served the day they’re made.

Read Full Post »

Cherry Nut Tartlets with Honey Caramel

With Christmas just around the corner, I’ve got recipe ideas flying around my

head like freshly falling snow.  If only I had the time to make them all! Aahh,

that would be so very nice.  Over the next two weeks, I’ll make as many

interesting recipes as I can, that tie into the holidays and help us to bake and

cook up the delicious scents and aromas that we love about them. 

I love this time of year and I love all of the desserts and sweets that go with it

  

These tartlets hold a medley of four different kinds of nuts and red chopped

glace cherries in a cookie-like shell.  Wrapped up in a honey caramel, the fruit

and nuts offer a taste and crunch that are a perfect match for each other. 

Drizzled with milk chocolate, these tartlets will add a delightful festive

appearance to your holiday table that will have your guests reaching for

more. Make and freeze these tartlets ahead of the holidays and you’ll have one

less thing to do once the festivities begin. Hhmmm, that sure sounds good!

 

Nutty Cherry Tartlets with Honey Caramel

Crust

1 1/2 cups (375 ml) all-purpose flour

1/2 cup (125 ml) icing sugar

1/3 cup (75 ml) cold butter, cut into cubes

 1 egg

1/4 tsp (1 ml) vanilla

Filling

1/2 cup (125 ml) each of pistachios, pecans, almonds and hazelnuts

1/2 cup (125 ml)  glace cherries

1/3 cup  (75 ml) clear honey

1/4 cup (50 ml) sugar

1/2 cup (125 ml) 35 % whipping cream

2 tbsp (25 ml) butter

1/2 cup milk or dark chocolate

Method

1. To make shells, coat three dozen mini-muffin cups with cooking spray or

lightly butter.  If you have non-stick pans, you can skip this step.  Whirl flour

with icing sugar and butter in food processor until butter is in tiny, barely

visible pieces. Add egg and vanilla; whirl until moist crumbs form.  Turn out

onto a piece of plastic wrap or waxed paper and form into a solid disc of

dough.  For ease in rolling, divide dough in half  and roll between two sheets of

waxed paper or parchment. Roll out each half until slightly thinner than

normal pie dough.  Cut with a 2 1/2 -inch (6-cm) cutter; line cups, extending

the dough slightly above the cup edge.  Use scraps to repair any breaks or fill

in thin spots.  Freeze while making the filling or for at least 10 minutes.

Note:  You could certainly use your own favourite pastry recipe for the shell

instead of following the one here. 

2.  Spread the nuts onto a baking pan and toast in a 400 °F (200 °C) oven for 6

minutes or until lightly browned.  Use a tea towel to rub papery skins from the

hazelnuts.  Coarsely chop nuts and cherries.  Stir together; set aside.

3.  To make the honey caramel, combine the honey and sugar in a medium

heavy-bottomed saucepan.  Without stirring, bring it to a boil over medium

heat.  Meanwhile, in a measuring cup in the microwave, heat the cream and

butter together for 45 to 60 seconds or until very hot, but not boiling. 

Continue boiling sugar mixture until it has turned a deep caramel colour. 

Remove the pan from the heat.  Avert your face while slowly pouring in the

cream mixture (because it will really bubble up); stir.  Reduce heat to low and

return pan to stove.  Gently boil, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes.  Stir in

nuts and cherries; remove from heat and set aside.

4. Remove tart shells from freezer; immediately place in preheated oven. 

Bake until pastry is golden, about 8 minutes (for a dark pan) or 10 minutes (for

a light pan). Cool; then generously fill with caramel nut mixture. 

5. Drizzle with melted milk or dark chocolate. For this small amount you can

easily melt the chocolate in the microwave in a microwave safe dish for 30

seconds, remove & stir until completely melted. Drizzle back & forth with a

spoon across the tarts.

Covered, these tartlets keep well at room temperature for up to 2 days; or

freeze in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.  Makes 3 dozen tartlets. 

Thanks for the company, and good luck with all your Christmas baking!

This Sweet Wife ♥

Read Full Post »