Strawberry Scones with Lemon Glaze

Check out the deliciousness that is a Strawberry Scone with a Lemon Glaze...out of this world. They are so perfect as a light and semi-healthy homemade snack, and are easy to make! 

Take advantage of strawberry season while it lasts. :)

Strawberry Scones

Makes 8 scones

8-10 medium strawberries, quartered
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons cold butter
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract (optional)

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

Arrange your cut strawberries in a single layer and press down on them with a paper towel to remove some of the moisture. 

Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt into a large bowl. Cut your cold butter into small pieces and then mix with a pastry blender or two forks until it resembles coarse crumbs. Gently fold in your pressed strawberries. 

Add in the cold cream and press out the dough on a cutting board with a little bit of flour, but do not overwork the dough. Mold into 8 scone-like shapes of your liking, 1 inch in thickness. Place them on a greased baking sheet. 


Brush them with an egg wash (1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water) or melted butter, sprinkle with turbinado sugar, and bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before serving. 


Drizzle the glaze over the scones when they are fully cooled, and it should harden slightly, creating a perfect blend of flavors and textures. 


Garnish with some fresh strawberry slices or lemon zest.

Lemon Glaze
Yields 3/4 cup

1 cup confectioners sugar
3 to 4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons melted butter
2 teaspoons milk

Combine the confectioners sugar, fresh lemon juice, melted butter, and milk in a medium sized bowl. Stir until smooth, and let it sit for 5 minutes at room temperature before re-stirring and drizzling over scones.

Bam! Deliciousness. Serve with tea and impress your friends. ;)

Scone Recipe Adapted from She Makes & Bakes

Cookie-Oreo-Brownie Crazy Deliciousness

So, this is the current food porn cooking up in my kitchen. 

Peanut butter/Chocolate Chip Cookie-Oreo-Brownie goodness..pretty ridiculous. :) 

This is not my doing, this is my roommate Brent's, but here is a comparable recipe to follow:

Chocolate Chip Cookie & Oreo Fudge Brownie Bar

Yield: 32 bars

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Bake Time: 45 to 55 minutes

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar
¾ cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups (12 ounces) milk chocolate chips
1 pkg Double Stuffed Oreos
1 Family Size (9×13) Brownie mix (or Chewy Brownies homemade recipe)
1/4 cup hot fudge topping

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9×13-inch pan, line with parchment paper, and then butter the parchment paper.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. Cream together the butter and both sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 3 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well to thoroughly combine. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture into the mixer until the flour is just combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread the cookie dough in the bottom of the prepared 9×13 baking dish.

3. Top the cookie dough with a layer of Oreos.

4. Mix together the brownie mix according to the package directions, adding ¼ cup of hot fudge topping to the mix. Pour the brownie batter over the cookie dough and Oreos. Bake for 45-55 minutes. Let cool completely before slicing into bars. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

(Recipe adapted from Kevin and Amanda)

Recipe Source: BrownEyedBaker

Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes!!

I made these amazing cupcakes today (this photo is not mine), and they are sure to be a crowd pleaser tonight for the St. Patrick's Day/Birthday celebrations! 

Try it out if you're looking for an awesome twist on the same old St. Patrick's day treats. 

Recipe by Brown Eyed Baker:

Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes

Yield: 24 cupcakes  |  Prep Time: 40 minutes  |  Bake Time: 17 minutes

For the Cupcakes:
1 cup Guinness stout
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons baking soda
¾ teaspoons salt
2 eggs
2/3 cup sour cream

For the Whiskey Ganache Filling:
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
2 teaspoons Irish whiskey

For the Baileys Frosting:
2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 cups powdered sugar
6 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream

1. To Make the Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 cupcake cups with liners. Bring the Guinness and butter to a simmer in a heavy, medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Cool slightly. 

2. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl to combine. Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sour cream on medium speed until combined. Add the Guinness-chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and beat just to combine. Reduce the speed to low, add the flour mixture and beat briefly. Using a rubber spatula, fold the batter until completely combined. Divide the batter among the cupcake liners. Bake until a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 17 minutes. Cool the cupcakes on a rack.

3. To Make the Whiskey Ganache Filling: Finely chop the chocolate and transfer it to a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream until simmering and pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for one minute and then, using a rubber spatula, stir it from the center outward until smooth. Add the butter and whiskey and stir until combined. Let the ganache cool until thick but still soft enough to be piped. 

4. To Fill the Cupcakes: Using a 1-inch round cookie cutter (or the bottom of a large decorating tip), cut the centers out of the cooled cupcakes, going about two-thirds of the way down. Transfer the ganache to a piping back with a wide tip and fill the holes in each cupcake to the top.

  

5. To Make the Baileys Frosting: Using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer, whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. Reduce the speed to medium-low and gradually add the powdered sugar until all of it is incorporated. Add the Baileys, increase the speed to medium-high and whip for another 2 to 3 minutes, until it is light and fluffy.

6. Using your favorite decorating tip, or an offset spatula, frost the cupcakes and decorate with sprinkles, if desired. Store the cupcakes in an airtight container.

(Recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

Recipe/Photo Source: 

http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2011/03/14/irish-car-bomb-cupcakes/ 

Birthday Cupcakes

I made these for my friend's surprise birthday party and they were a huge hit.

 I also added dark chocolate chips to the batter just to add a little extra surprise!

Best Dark Chocolate Cupcake Recipe:

Makes 12 cupcakes; recipe can not be doubled, make two batches separately if needed.

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
½ cup (1 ½ ounces) Dutch-processed cocoa
¾ cup (3 ¾ ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs
¾ cup (5 ¼ ounces) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon table salt
½ cup (4 ounces) sour cream

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard-sized muffin pans (cups have ½ cup capacity) with baking-cup liners.

2. Combine butter, chocolate, and cocoa in medium heatproof bowl. Set bowl over saucepan containing barely simmering water; heat mixture until butter and chocolate are melted and whisk until smooth and fully combined. Set aside to cool until just warm to touch.

3. Whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder in small bowl to combine.

4. Whisk eggs in second medium bowl to combine; add sugar, vanilla, and salt and whisk until fully incorporated. Add cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Sift about one-third of flour mixture over chocolate mixture and whisk until combined; whisk in sour cream until combined, then sift remaining flour mixture over and whisk until batter is homogenous and thick.

5. Divide batter evenly among muffin pan cups. Bake until skewer inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean. 18 to 20 minutes.

6. Cool cupcakes in muffin pan on wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Carefully lift each cupcake from muffin pan and set on wire rack. Cool to room temperature before icing, about 30 minutes.

(Cook's Illustrated, 2009)

Simple Buttercream Frosting:

3 cups confectioners' sugar

1 cup butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream

1. Mix together sugar and butter on low speed until well blended and then increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.

2. Add vanilla and cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more, adding more cream if needed for spreading consistency.

(Courtesy of Food Network)