A Perfect Start to the Day

Since I have been having really long days of rehearsals and shows, Adam and I haven't had as much of a chance to spend time together in the kitchen. On Friday night I came home to a computer screen full of fabulous Saturday morning breakfast ideas. We decided on Cranberry Scones and homemade butter. To make the butter all you have to do is put heavy cream in to a mixer and turn it on. Wait until it passes the whipped cream stage, letting the mixer keep doing it's thing. All of a sudden, butter will stick to the beater and buttermilk will sit at the bottom of the bowl. If you want to add flavorings or salt, simply add them before turning on the mixer. Sounds daunting, but if you can turn on a food processor and a mixer, you've got this meal made--literally.


Cranberry Scones (www.joyofbaking.com/CranberryScones.html, Stephanie Jaworski)

The recipe calls for topping the scones with sliced almonds, but we didn't have any so we used chopped pecans. You are also supposed to use dried fruit in the recipe in addition to the cranberries, but we didn't have any so we just increased the amount of fresh cranberries slightly. The contrast of the tart cranberries with the sweet bread and savory pecans works perfectly for an early morning treat.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup white granulated sugar
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup cold unsalted butter
1/2 cup fresh cranberries, cut in half
1/3 cup mixed candied fruit and peel
2/3 to 3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup sliced almonds

1. Preheat oven to 400 and place rack in middle of oven. Butter or line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a food processor combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and butter by pulsing until it has formed a mixture looking like coarse crumbs. Transfer to a medium-sized bowl. Gently stir in the cranberries and candied fruit, making sure not to crush the fruit. Add the milk and stir just until combined. Do not over mix.
3. Gently knead the dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll or pat the dough into a circle that is 8 inches round and about 1 1/2 inches thick. Transfer to prepared baking sheet and then brush scone with milk. Using a sharp knife, score the scone into eight pieces and then sprinkle with the sliced almonds.
4. Bake for about 20 minutes or until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center of the scone comes out clean.