These Berry Scones are a delicious way to use fresh or frozen fruit to create a batch of baked goods for breakfast.
I love scones but I hadn’t made this recipe in over 10 years. Arizona is not a good place to get locally grown fresh fruit like strawberries and raspberries. Soon after we moved to Minnesota, fresh strawberries came into season AND I won a gallon-sized bag of frozen raspberries in my first horticultural club meeting.
I needed ways to utilize my new bounty. I reworked this old recipe, reducing the fruit amount and adding white chocolate chips. That extra sweet kick really elevates the fruit!
These Berry Scones are a perfect breakfast, delicious at room temperature or warmed in the microwave. They can be frozen after baking, making this is a convenient make-ahead recipe. Don’t thaw the fruit if it’s frozen or it’ll be mushy and juicy. Use only fresh or frozen fruit.
1/2cupstrawberries or raspberries (fresh or frozen) about 3oz
3Tablespoonswhite sugar separated
2cupsall-purpose flour
2teaspoonsbaking powder
1/4teaspoonsalt
6Tablespoonsunsalted butter
2/3cupmilk or almond milk
1/2cupwhite chocolate chips
Topping:
1Tablespooncoarse or white sugar optional
Instructions
Preheat oven at 400 degrees. Lightly grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper, or use a scone pan.
Use kitchen shears or a knife to cut the fruit into bite-sized pieces. Sprinkle fruit with 1/2 tablespoon sugar; set aside to macerate.
Combine remaining sugar with flour, baking powder and salt. Add butter, using a pastry cutter or a fork to cut it in. Don’t completely mix in butter, but leave some pea-sized pieces throughout. Stir in milk. Fold in the white chocolate chips followed by the berries.
Flour hands to coat. Gently knead and turn the dough to incorporate the dry bits from the bottom of the bowl. Sprinkle dough with extra flour if it’s too sticky to work with.
If using a cookie sheet for baking, pat the dough into a circle 3/4 inch thick. If any berries peek out, push them into dough. Cut circle into 6-8 wedges (or smaller), then transfer wedges to the cookie sheet, leaving at least 1/2 inch of space between them; they will spread. Alternatively, press handfuls of dough into a scone pan, filling each empty space to the end to create even pieces. Sprinkle the tops with coarse or white sugar, if desired.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until the tops are beginning to brown. Remove them from pan. Scones can be eaten immediately, or will keep in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Freeze them to enjoy later.
If you’re in need of a small-scale dessert for just a couple of people (hey, it is Valentine’s Day as I post this), this Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie is perfect.
You’ll need a 6-inch cast iron skillet or cake pan for this recipe. I have the former.
This is a treat best enjoyed while it’s warm. Therefore, let the big cookie cool enough so you won’t get burned, and then dig in. If you want to make this even more luxurious, add some scoops of ice cream in the middle and eat everything with spoons!
This small-scale treat is perfect as a sweet treat for a small family or as a date night dessert for two adults. This is the kind of dish where you don’t expect to have leftovers–but if you do, they are best served warmed. Modified from Bake from Scratch July/August 2023.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chocolate, cookies
Servings: 2
Author: Beth Cato
Equipment
6-inch cast iron skillet or 6-inch cake pan
nonstick spray
small saucepan
Ingredients
1/4cupunsalted butter
2Tablespoonswhite sugar
2Tablespoonsbrown sugar packed
1large egg yolk
1Tablespoonmilk or half& half
1/2teaspoonvanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
1/2cupall-purpose flour
1/2teaspoonbaking powder
1/4teaspoonkosher salt
1/2cupchocolate chips whatever kind you want
flaked sea salt and coarse sugar for optional topping
Instructions
Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Prepare the pan by using nonstick spray or some extra butter to coat.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter on medium heat, stirring often. The butter will foam and then turn brown after 6 to 8 minutes. Set aside to cool for at least 10 minutes.
In a mixing bowl, combine browned butter, both sugars, egg yolk, milk, and vanilla. Add the flour, baking powder, and kosher salt. Fold in the chocolate chips. If desired, add a sprinkle of flaked sea salt and coarse sugar on top.
Bake until the edges are brown and the middle is no longer gooey, about 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool for 15 to 20 minutes before digging in, but it is ideally eaten while it's still warm.
It’s February (how did that happen?), but these brightly-flavored Lemon-Lake Cookies will add some sunshine to your day, no matter when you make them.
These are not fancy cookies. They are fairly straightforward to make. The only real “extra” bit is etching the lemon effect onto the cookies. I found it annoying that the example picture in Allrecipes Magazine, where I found the original recipe, showed the cookies when they were unglazed, hence the lemon effect is quite bold.
The reality is that the glaze fills in many of the lines and holes, making the etching much more subtle. It is still visible, though (if you impress the lines and dots enough).
These shaped cookies contain a refreshing lemon flavor to brighten your day, no matter what time of year you make them! The etched pattern will be subtle once the glaze is on, but is still worthwhile. Modified from Allrecipes Magazine.
Course: Dessert
Keyword: cookies, lemon
Author: Beth Cato
Equipment
zester
juicer
parchment paper
Rolling Pin
plastic wrap
2-inch cookie cutter
skewer or chopstick
pastry brush
Ingredients
Dough
1cupunsalted butter (2 sticks) cut into thin slices
1/2cupwhite sugar
1lemon
1teaspoonkosher salt
1/2teaspoonvanilla extract
1/2teaspoonlemon extract
2 1/4cupsall-purpose flour plus more for surface
Glaze
1cupconfectioners’ sugar
2 to 3Tablespoonslemon juice
Instructions
Zest the lemon. Cut lemon in half and squeeze out juice. Set aside zest and juice.
Preheat oven at 300-degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Place butter, white sugar, lemon zest, salt, and vanilla in a bowl, stirring together until the butter starts to soften and the ingredients come together. Add flour, mixing until buttery crumbs form. Use hands to press dough together into a ball.
Lightly flour a flat work surface. Set the dough there and press it into a 1/2-inch thick disk. Place a long stretch of plastic wrap on top and roll the dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. Cut dough with cookie cutter, placing rounds slightly spaced out on prepared sheet. Reroll dough scraps cut out more rounds until it’s all basically shaped.
If desired, etch a lemon-like effect. Use a sharp knife to form decorative lines atop cookies, pressing in the blade to form 8 triangular wedges on each; make sure to only press into the top of the dough, not all the way through. Use a skewer or chopstick to add decorative holes near the tip of each wedge, creating an effect like a lemon seed.
Bake cookies until they are light brown around the wedges, 22 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely, but reserve the parchment and pan for the glazing.
Return cookies to cooled pan. Mix together the confectioners’ sugar and 2 tablespoons lemon juice, adding more if needed to form a thick but spreadable glaze. Use a pastry brush to apply a layer of glaze to each cookie, adding an extra layer, if desired, with any leftover glaze after the initial coat. Let cookies stand for 30 minutes to an hour, until glaze is set. Pack cookies into a sealed container. Store at room temperature.
Bakewell Tarts are classic British pastries. This version, modified from Bake from Scratch Magazine, uses store-bought preserves (I used Bonne Maman) with everything else from scratch.
If you’re in America, you’re not likely to find a Bakewell Tart unless you’re near a big city bakery; as for me, I’ve never found it for sale in the US, and I’d probably scream in delight if I came across it. I made a pointed effort to get slices more than once during my 2019 trip to the UK.
Not gonna lie, this is a dessert that takes some work. The pâte sucrée, the crust, can be done ahead of time, and that helps to space out the labor. The filling, which is a frangipane, needs to not only be mixed, but piped into the crust to help it form a consistent layer.
And of course, at the end, the tart needs a nice sweet drizzle that looks gorgeous and amps up the flavor, too. This is really the ultimate special occasion breakfast or dessert.
There are two recipes included here: the pâte sucrée and the full assemblage of the Bakewell Tart.
Pâte Sucrée is a pastry crust that can be used for a Bakewell Tart and other desserts. It needs to chill in the fridge for at least an hour. This makes one 9-inch crust. Recipe modified from Bake from Scratch July/August 2023.
Author: Beth Cato
Ingredients
1/2cupunsalted butter (1 stick) softened
1/3cupconfectioners’ sugar
1/2teaspoonkosher salt
1large egg room temperature
2cupsall-purpose flour
Instructions
In a stand mixer or by hand. beat together butter, sugar, and salt until they are pale and creamy. Add the egg. Gradually beat in the flour until just combined, scraping the bottom of the bowl a few times.
Shape the dough into a flat disk and encase in plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for an least an hour, but overnight is preferred. Dough can be refrigerated for up to a week or can be frozen for up to 2 months. If frozen, thaw in fridge before using.
A Bakewell Tart is a classic British dessert. This is a time-consuming recipe, but the result is an absolute show-stopper. Modified from Bake from Scratch July/August 2023.
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: British
Keyword: almond, cherries
Author: Beth Cato
Equipment
Rolling Pin
parchment paper
9-inch tart pan with removable plate
pie weights
pastry brush
pastry bag or freezer quart bag
uneven spatula
Ingredients
Tart
1pâte sucrée
1large egg white lightly beaten
1/2cupunsalted butter (1 stick) room temperature
1/2cupwhite sugar
2large eggs room temperature
2teaspoonsvanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
1/2teaspoonkosher salt
1/4teaspoonalmond extract
1cupalmond flour sifted to remove clumps
2Tablespoonsall-purpose flour
3/4cupcherry preserves
Topping
1/4cupsliced almonds
1/2cupconfectioners’ sugar
1Tablespoonmilk or half & half
Instructions
Form the crust
If the pâte sucrée is quite firm from chilling, let it set at room temperature for about 20 minutes to make it more pliable. Use a rolling pin to roll it into a 12-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick.
Remove the base of the tart pan and trace the shape onto parchment paper. Cut paper to fit in bottom of pan and apply baking spray. Carefully transfer dough to pan, but if it falls apart, that’s okay–press it into an even layer across the bottom of the pan and up the fluted sides. Use a knife to cut excess dough from the top edge. Use a fork to dock the bottom of the pan, stabbing it here and there across the whole surface. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
Bake the crust
Preheat oven at 325-degrees.
Top the dough with a large piece of parchment paper, with ends extending over the sides. Add pie weights to fill the basin.
Bake the crust for about 15 minutes. Carefully lift with the parchment and weights, setting on another pan to cool. Brush the bottom of the pan with the egg white. Continue baking for another 15 minutes; the base should look dry with the dough lightly browned. Set aside to cool completely as the filling is made. Increase oven temperature to 350-degrees.
Make the frangipane
Beat the butter and white sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape the bottom of the bowl a few times to make sure everything is mixed. Add eggs, one at a time, followed by vanilla, salt, and almond extract. Scrape bottom and sides of bowl. Gradually mix in both flours until just combined.
Spoon frangipane into a pastry bag or a freezer quart bag. Cut off the tip.
Use an uneven spatula to spread the cherry preserves over the bottom crust. Pipe the frangipane over the preserves. Use a clean uneven spatula to smooth it into an even layer. Sprinkle sliced almonds on top.
Bake until frangipane is set and golden, about 30 minutes. Let cool about 20 minutes before removing the outer ring of the pan. Let tart cool completely on rack.
Add drizzle
In a small bowl, stir together confectioners’ sugar and milk. Spoon into a pastry bag or freezer quart bag and snip off a tiny corner. Pipe glaze back and forth over tart. Let glaze set, about 20 minutes, then dig in. Store wrapped up or in sealed container in fridge for up to 4 days.