Featherweight Blueberry Scones
MAKES 8 SCONES
Scones have a bad reputation for being either as crumbly as sand or as dense as paperweights, and good recipes are hard to come by. But when we received this recipe from Liz Larkin (aka, Food52er mrslarkin)—who is so revered for her scones that she’s known as the “Scone Lady”—we knew it must be special. And it is. Make these scones with a light hand and a lot of cream, and they’re sure to be tender, light, and loaded with berries.
To prevent frozen berries from leaving your scones with an odd greenish tint, you can rinse them in cold water several times until the water that drains off is noticeably lighter in color. Tossing the berries with the flour and the other dry ingredients before incorporating a wet mixture will also help seal them in a protective coating. To keep your scones attractive-looking and light in texture, be sure to fold the frozen berries into the batter gently—vigorous stirring will cause their color to bleed and the final product to be dense.
Serve these scones with clotted cream, crème fraîche, or jam if you wish. They are great the next day, warmed in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds, and freeze well too: just reheat them in a 350°F (175°C) oven until warm.
2 ½ cups (315g) all-purpose flour
¼ cup (50g) sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1 tablespoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons (85g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
¾ cup (about 115g) frozen blueberries (preferably wild Maine blueberries)
1 cup (240ml) heavy cream, plus more for mixing and brushing
1 egg
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1. Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse about ten times. Don’t process the heck out of it—some small pieces of butter should remain.
2. Transfer the flour mixture to a large bowl. If any really large lumps of butter remain, squish them with the back of a fork. Add the berries and gently toss to coat.
3. In a small bowl, combine the cream, egg, and vanilla and mix well. Pour into the flour mixture and use a fork or your hands to work the cream into the flour mixture as you gradually rotate the bowl; aim for a folding motion, not a stirring motion. When dough begins to come together, use a plastic bowl scraper, a sturdy plastic spatula, or your hands to gently work the dough into a ball. If there’s still a lot of loose flour in the bottom of the bowl, drizzle in a bit more cream, about 1 teaspoon at a time, until the dough comes together.
4. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and gently pat it into a 6- to 7-inch (15 to 18cm) circle. With a pastry scraper or large chef’s knife, cut the circle into 8 wedges. If you like, you can use a pie marker to score the top of the circle and then use those lines as a guide for cutting.
5. The next step is optional but recommended: Put the scones on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper and freeze until solid. (Once they’re frozen, you can store them in a plastic freezer bag for several weeks.)
6. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). If baking from frozen, preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
7. Place the scones on the lined pan, about 1 inch (2.5cm) apart. Brush the tops with cream and then sprinkle with sugar.
8. Bake for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake for 10 to 15 minutes longer, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a scone comes out clean. If baking from frozen, your scones will likely need an additional 5 minutes.
9. Let the scones rest for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool or serving warm.
For Something Different
Oatmeal Berry Scones (pictured) Substitute 1 cup (90g) of rolled oats (not quick oats) for 1 cup (125g) of the all-purpose flour and sprinkle a few oats on top of the scones before baking.
Lavender Blueberry Scones Add 1 tablespoon of crushed organic lavender (fresh or dried) when you add the berries to the flour. Sprinkle a few lavender buds on top of the scones before baking.
Ginger Lemon Scones Replace the blueberries with about ¼ cup (40g) chopped crystallized ginger and the zest of 1 lemon.
Whole Wheat Scones Substitute whole wheat for half of the all-purpose flour.
Savory Scones Omit the berries and vanilla, decrease the sugar to 2 tablespoons, and add in 1 tablespoon of your favorite herb (minced if fresh) to the flour mixture. Sprinkle flaky sea salt over the tops of the scones before baking.
Baked Cardamom French Toast with Syrupy Meyer Lemons
SERVES AT LEAST 10
French toast may seem like a casual, low-maintenance breakfast until you understand the reality: there will be stations. You have to soak the bread, fry the bread, and keep the finished pieces warm. The good news is that you can avoid all that fussing by assembling the French toast the night before and baking it in the morning while you take a shower and make coffee. You’ll still have enough time (and energy) to zest, juice, and slice some Meyer lemons for a sweet citrus syrup. After barely any early morning work, you’ll end up with a dish that has a crunchy top and a custardy interior—and that’s miraculously lighter and less oily than diner-style French toast.
French Toast
1 loaf (750g) white or whole wheat Pullman bread, slightly stale
Maple syrup, for drizzling between the bread layers
5 cups (1.2 L) milk or half-and-half
2 tablespoons cardamom pods (about 50), lightly crushed
6 tablespoons (90ml) sweetened condensed milk, plus more as needed
6 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons raw sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Meyer Lemon Topping
1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
1 ½ cups (355ml) water plus 2 teaspoons
3 Meyer lemons
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1. To make the French toast, butter a 9 by 13-inch (23 by 33cm) baking pan. Slice the bread ½ inch (1.3cm) thick and arrange as many slices as you can fit in one layer in the prepared pan. Drizzle with maple syrup, then add another layer of bread. Repeat until all the bread has been used or the baking pan is full.
2. Combine the milk and cardamom pods in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, just until almost simmering. Remove from the heat, cover, and let steep for 10 minutes.
3. Strain the milk into a large bowl through a fine-mesh sieve, then stir in the sweetened condensed milk. Taste and, if it isn’t sweet enough, add more sweetened condensed milk by the tablespoon. Add the eggs, vanilla, and salt and whisk until smooth. Pour evenly over the bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight or for at least 6 hours.
4. The next day, or when you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
5. Sprinkle the raw sugar and the butter over the bread. Put the dish in a large roasting pan and add about 1 inch (2.5cm) of very hot tap water. Cover the roasting pan with aluminum foil, tenting it so it doesn’t touch the surface, and make two slashes in the foil so that steam can escape.
6. Bake for 45 minutes, then uncover and bake for 15 to 20 minutes longer, until the custard is set and the top layer of bread is crispy.
7. Meanwhile, make the Meyer lemon topping. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the granulated sugar with the 1½ cups (355ml) water and heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has completely dissolved. Add the grated zest and juice of one Meyer lemon and bring the mixture to a simmer; cook until reduced by a third, about 10 minutes.
8. Next, slice the two remaining lemons into thin disks, add them to the sugar mixture, and simmer for another 10 minutes. In a separate bowl, mix the cornstarch with the 2 teaspoons of cold water, whisking until it resembles heavy cream. Add this to the saucepan with the candied lemons and syrup, then bring the mixture to a simmer for another minute, until the syrup has slightly thickened. Rewarm the syrup gently before either pouring it over the finished French toast in the pan or drizzling over individual dishes.
9. Keep leftover French toast in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, reheating it gently in a warm oven.
For Something Different
Roasted Fig Topping Stem and halve 2 pounds (900g) of ripe figs. Put them on a baking pan in a single layer, cut side up. Combine ¼ cup (60g) unsalted butter, ¼ cup (60ml) maple syrup, and a generous pinch of salt in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter is melted. Drizzle over the figs and bake, uncovered, in the oven with the French toast for about 20 minutes, until the figs are soft and juicy. Allow the French toast to cool for a few minutes in the dish, then serve it topped with the roasted figs and additional maple syrup.
How to Stale Fresh Bread in a Hurry
If you want to make baked French toast or bread pudding but only have fresh bread on hand, you don’t have to wait a couple of days for that loaf to stale. Simply cut it into slices or cubes, depending on the recipe, and bake briefly in a 350°F (175°C) oven to wick off some of its moisture. After 15 to 20 minutes, the bread will be lightly brown, dry, and ready to use.
MAKES 5 LARGE BISCUITS OR 10 SMALL BISCUITS
You can stop wondering whether you should have a responsible bowl of yogurt for breakfast or a plate of flaky biscuits instead. With this recipe you can have both—all at once (and easily, too). If you have flour, salt, yogurt, and you can stir, you’re halfway there.
2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup (120ml) plain yogurt
½ cup (120ml) milk (any type)
Milk or melted unsalted butter, for brushing (optional)
Coarse or flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Into a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, stir the yogurt and milk together, then gradually add this to the flour mixture and mix gently until evenly incorporated; use a motion similar to cutting in butter (folding and smashing as opposed to stirring), and stop when the dough is still crumbly rather than making it into one homogenous ball.
4. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and gently knead; to avoid overworking the dough, fold it over onto itself repeatedly and press down to work it together. As soon as the dough comes together in a unified mass, roll it out to form a flattened disk about 2 inches (5cm) high.
5. Using a round cutter, cut out biscuits and place them on the lined baking sheet. Gather any scraps and gently knead them together, working the dough as little as possible, then cut out more rounds. Gently brush their tops with a bit of milk or melted butter, then sprinkle with sea salt.
6. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until just barely golden brown (they will be paler if you did not brush them). Serve warm with plenty of butter.
For Something Different
Cheese Biscuits Dial the salt back to ½ teaspoon and add a scant ½ cup (about 55g) of shredded cheese and ¼ cup (25g) of thinly sliced green onions to the flour mixture.
Cinnamon-Sugar Biscuits Use just a pinch of salt and add 1 tablespoon of sugar to the flour mixture. Separately, mix together ¼ cup (50g) of sugar and 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Instead of sprinkling the biscuits with coarse salt just before baking, top them with melted butter and the cinnamon sugar.
Cranberry, Oatmeal, and Flaxseed Muffins
MAKES 24 MUFFINS
These muffins, adapted from Brooklyn’s Du Jour Bakery (Merrill’s favorite), are the best of both worlds: the rolled oats and whole wheat flour make them a hearty, wholesome breakfast, while the baking powder and baking soda provide the airy lightness that’s too often absent from healthier baked goods. Plenty of cinnamon plus a smattering of sweet-tart cranberries make the muffins seem sweeter than they actually are. Feel free to substitute any type of fresh, frozen, or even dried berry for the cranberries. And if you don’t believe our testament to these muffins’ greatness, ask Merrill’s toddler Clara; this is the only breakfast that can entice her away from her usual toast and yogurt.
5 cups (450g) rolled oats
2⅓ cups (280g) whole wheat flour
1 ½ cups (300g) light brown sugar
⅔ cup (75g) ground flaxseed or flaxseed meal
4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups (475ml) buttermilk
1 cup (240ml) neutral oil, such as vegetable oil or mild coconut oil
¾ cup (175ml) water
2 cups (200g) fresh or frozen cranberries
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two standard-sized muffin pans with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the oats, flour, brown sugar, ground flaxseed, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add the eggs, buttermilk, oil, and water and mix until just combined. Fold in the cranberries. Spoon the batter into the lined muffins cups, filling each to the top.
3. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
4. Let cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before serving.
How to Make Buttermilk at Home
To make a perfectly good substitute for buttermilk, simply measure out an amount of milk just shy of the amount of buttermilk called for. Then add a bit of white vinegar or lemon juice—about 1 tablespoon for every 1 cup (240ml) of buttermilk you need. Mix well, then let stand at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes, until you see lumps when you stir the mixture around. If it doesn’t curdle, add a bit more vinegar or lemon juice. Your makeshift buttermilk won’t be as thick as the store-bought variety, but it will do the trick.
Whole Wheat Molasses Yogurt Bread with Figs and Walnuts
MAKES 1 LOAF; SERVES 12 TO 14
Finally, a quick bread recipe that passes all the tests of a great quick bread. First, it’s quick: mix the wet ingredients, mix the dry ingredients, then combine them. Second, it’s bread: it’s less sweet than it is sturdy, hearty, and healthy, and it’s suitable for spreading with butter, sprinkling with salt, and enjoying before noon. Third, it’s hard to mess up and amendable to countless variations: learn the template, then substitute different types of flour, replace the molasses with honey, use milk instead of yogurt, and throw in any fruits and nuts you’d like. Store this recipe, adapted from Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, in your proverbial back pocket—it’s one for the keeping.
2 ½ cups (300g) white whole wheat flour, or a blend of 1 ¾ cups (210g) white whole wheat flour and ¾ cup (100g) rye flour
½ cup (80g) medium- or coarse-grind cornmeal
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1⅔ cups (395ml) whole-milk yogurt, or 1 ½ cups (355ml) whole milk plus 2 tablespoons white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
½ cup (120ml) molasses
1 cup (100g) toasted walnuts, chopped
¾ cup (105g) coarsely chopped dried figs
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). If using milk rather than yogurt, mix it with the vinegar.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, cornmeal, salt, and baking soda.
3. Separately, whisk together the yogurt and molasses. Add to the flour mixture in two or three additions, stirring in round, sweeping motions and making sure to incorporate the flour at the bottom of the bowl; mix until just a few small pockets of flour remain. The dough may fizz subtly, like a science experiment, and it will be quite thick. Fold in the walnuts and figs.
4. Put the butter in either a standard loaf pan or a 7-inch (18cm) cast-iron skillet and put it in the oven until the butter melts. Tilt and swirl the pan to coat it evenly. Gently transfer the batter to the buttered pan without mixing it any further. It’s okay if the top is a little lumpy—resist the urge to smooth it.
5. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes to 1 hour. Touch the top of the bread; it should give a bit and feel supple but resist your touch and not feel like there’s goo beneath.
6. Very important: Let the bread cool completely before slicing it. Yes, we’re serious. Wrap any leftovers tightly in foil and eat within 3 to 4 days.
MAKES 1 LOAF; SERVES 12 TO 14
This banana bread is not just an easy solution to the pile of overripe bananas on your counter; it’s so good that it’s a reason to let those bananas freckle and slouch. It’s a no-frills recipe that delivers on big banana flavor and is intuitive enough to learn by heart. If you’d like to elaborate, add a handful of chocolate chips, a tablespoon or two of peanut butter, or some chopped, toasted nuts. It’s delicious warm, especially spread with butter or cream cheese and sprinkled with cinnamon, and it gets even better after a day or two.
4 very ripe bananas, peeled
¼ cup (60g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 egg, at room temperature
1 to 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup (200g) sugar
1 ½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup (240ml) plain yogurt
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter a standard loaf pan.
2. Mash the bananas in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. You should have approximately 2 cups (475ml) of bananas.
3. Add the butter, egg, vanilla, and sugar and mix well.
4. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Fold into the banana mixture, and then gently fold in the yogurt.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour and 10 minutes, until the top is golden brown and springs back to the touch; a tester inserted into the middle of the loaf will come out with a few moist crumbs. (By the way, it’s delicious a tad underbaked.)
6. Put the pan on a wire rack and let cool completely before turning the bread out and slicing. Wrap the leftovers tightly in foil and eat within 1 to 2 days.
The easiest way to grind a large amount of fresh spices is to use an electric coffee or spice grinder. To grind cinnamon sticks, simply break the cinnamon sticks into manageable pieces and place them in an electric grinder, whirring until you have a fine powder. To grind cardamom, remove the seeds from the pods using a flat chef’s knife: press down firmly on the pod (the same way you would smash a clove of garlic), then pry open the shell, pick out the seeds, and pulverize until you’ve achieved a fine powder. For smaller amounts, you can use a mortar and pestle.
Buttermilk Dutch Baby with Caramelized Pears
SERVES 6 TO 8
A Dutch baby is a giant balloon of a pancake that’s made in a cast-iron skillet in the oven, which means you don’t have to stand over a hot stove flipping individual pancakes and praying they’ll be fluffy. This recipe balances the tang of buttermilk with the sweetness of caramelized pears for a perfect morning treat. Feel free to replace the pears with other fruity toppings like cooked apples, macerated berries, or lemon curd. Or, for an even simpler (and more traditional) finish, put a pat of butter in the middle of the pancake, squeeze some lemon juice over the top, and sprinkle the whole thing with confectioners’ sugar.
Dutch Baby
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
⅔ cup (85g) all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅓ cup (80ml) buttermilk
3 eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping
2 pears, peeled and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons brown sugar
Pinch of ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting (optional)
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. To make the Dutch baby, heat the butter in a 9- or 10-inch (23 or 25cm) cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Cook, swirling often, until the butter begins to brown, about 8 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, whisk the flour, granulated sugar, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl. Make a well in the center, then add the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk until the batter is smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Swirl the skillet to coat it evenly with the butter, then pour in the batter. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden and puffed.
5. Meanwhile, make the topping. Toss the pear slices with the brown sugar and cinnamon until evenly coated. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the skillet is very hot, add the pears and turn the heat down to medium. Cook the pears, stirring every few minutes to keep the slices coated in syrup, until they are tender and caramelized, 10 to 15 minutes depending on their ripeness.
6. Place the pears on top of the Dutch baby and, if you wish, dust everything with confectioners’ sugar.
Overnight Orange Refrigerator Rolls
MAKES 24 ROLLS
While you may think that having fresh-from-the-oven yeast rolls before noon is out of your reach, it can be done. Just mix the dough in the evening, then roll, shape, and bake the buns in the morning. Altogether, the recipe requires only about 15 minutes of hands-on time, and baking the rolls in muffin tins with paper liners makes the process especially easy (and mess-free).
Dough
1 cup (240ml) water
¼ cup (60g) unsalted butter
¼ cup (50g) shortening, preferably butter-flavored
7 tablespoons (85g) granulated sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
2 ¼ teaspoons (1 package) active dry yeast
1 egg, slightly beaten
3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour, or as needed
Filling
8 tablespoons (100g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
1 ½ teaspoons finely grated orange zest
Glaze
2 cups (250g) confectioners’ sugar
¼ cup (60ml) freshly squeezed orange juice
1. To make the dough, boil ½ cup (120ml) of the water in a small saucepan. Remove from the heat, add the butter and shortening, and stir until melted. Add the granulated sugar and salt and stir until combined. Let cool until lukewarm.
2. Heat the remaining ½ cup (120ml) water until it is between 105°F (40°C) and 115°F (45°C). Pour it into a large bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the top, and stir to dissolve the yeast. Stir in the sugar-butter-shortening mixture and the egg. Add the flour and mix thoroughly. If the dough is still sticky to the touch, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough is smooth and no longer tacky. Cover and refrigerate for 8 to 10 hours, until doubled in size.
3. Meanwhile, make the filling. Stir together the butter, granulated sugar, and orange zest until completely combined. Set aside.
4. About 2 hours before serving, line two muffin pans with paper liners or butter three 8- or 9-inch (20 or 23cm) square baking pans.
5. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface, divide it in half, and roll out each portion into an 8 by 12-inch (20 by 30cm) rectangle.
6. Spread half of the filling over each piece of dough. Roll up each rectangle to make an even, firm log, then slice each into 12 equal rounds. Put each round in a lined muffin cup, or arrange them in the prepared pans. Let rise for 1½ hours, until they’ve doubled in size and a finger indentation bounces back slowly but remains visible.
7. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake until lightly browned, about 15 minutes if using individual muffin cups and 20 minutes if using square baking pans.
8. Meanwhile, make the glaze. Stir together the confectioners’ sugar and orange juice until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the warm rolls.
Tomato and Cream Cheese Turnovers
MAKES 6 LARGE PASTRIES OR 12 SMALLER PASTRIES
What’s the quickest way to make any food feel fancy? With puff pastry, of course. To transform a classic bagel order—tomato and cream cheese on sesame—into something special, Food52 contributor Emily Vikre (aka, fiveandspice) defrosts puff pastry in the refrigerator overnight, rolls it out in the morning, and uses it to make flaky pockets filled with fresh tomatoes and cream cheese. Sprinkled with sesame seeds and baked until golden brown, the result is a glorious version of your favorite bagel.
6 ounces (170g) cream cheese, at room temperature
2 eggs
Salt and pepper
2 sheets all-butter puff pastry dough, defrosted
1 large tomato, sliced ¼ inch (6mm) thick
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Put the cream cheese, one of the eggs, and a couple pinches of salt and pepper in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer or stirring vigorously by hand, beat until smooth.
3. On a floured surface, roll one sheet of puff pastry out to a thickness of about ⅛ inch (3mm). Cut it into 6 rectangles.
4. For small pastries, spread one-twelfth of the cream cheese mixture on each rectangle, leaving a ¼-inch (6mm) margin around the edges. Distribute half of the tomato slices among the pastries, then fold each pastry square over to enclose the filling and firmly press the edges with a fork to seal. Repeat with the next sheet of puff pastry.
5. For large pastries, put one-sixth of the filling on each of the first 6 rectangles, leaving a ¼-inch (6mm) margin around the edges. Distribute all of the tomato slices among the pastries. Roll out the second sheet of puff pastry to the same size, cut it into 6 rectangles, and place one on top of each of the first 6 rectangles. Press the edges firmly with a fork to seal.
6. Transfer the pastries to two baking sheets. Whisk the remaining egg with a tiny splash of water to make an egg wash, then brush it over the pastries. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds.
7. Bake for about 25 minutes, until golden brown and puffed.
8. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool slightly. Enjoy them right away—these pastries are definitely best eaten fresh.
