LUCY BURDETTE: If you're going to write a mystery with SCONE in the title that is set in Scotland, readers are going to expect a scone recipe. I had a lot of fun imagining how to work this part into the book, and came up with sister characters, Violet and Bettina Booth, famous for winning a culinary prize for their cinnamon scones.
I crave the prize-winning recipe that the Booth sisters shared with Hayley—as you may crave it by the time you're finished reading as well! This recipe is my closest approximation. I cannot vouch for how close it comes to the prize-winner, but it’s awfully good. There seem to be several secrets to making light scones. Freeze and grate the butter. Work the dough as little as possible. And keep it cold in between steps.
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (don’t skimp on quality here—I used Penzey’s)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, frozen (I like Irish Kerrygold)
1/2 cup heavy cream (plus 2 Tbsp for brushing)
1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
3 tablespoons freshly-brewed coffee
¼ tsp vanilla extract
Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Grate the frozen butter onto a plate. Rub the butter into the dry ingredients using your fingers or a pastry cutter, until the butter is the size of peas.
In another bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, the vanilla, the egg, and the brown sugar. Mix this lightly into the flour butter mixture. On a piece of parchment paper, shape the dough into a disk, and with a floured knife cut the disk into eight triangles. Put the scone dough back into the refrigerator while the oven heats to 400. Move the parchment with the scones onto a baking sheet.
Paint the scone tops with the remaining cream and sprinkle them with sugar.
Bake the scones for 20-22 minutes until they begin to brown. You could serve them as is, but why leave off the killer icing?
For the icing, whisk the confectioner’s sugar with coffee and vanilla until smooth. If you don’t like the idea of coffee, you could substitute milk. But honestly, that hint of coffee was amazing! When the scones have cooled, drizzle them with icing. (You will probably have leftovers which can be used on your next batch.) (Or eaten with a spoon, just saying…)
We froze the extras that weren’t eaten on the spot, and they were delicious once defrosted.
The 11th book in Lucy's Key West food critic mystery series, A Scone of Contention, will be on bookshelves near you on August 10. You can order it wherever books are sold!
A scone-by-scone tour of glorious Scotland. Foodies and Outlander fans will rejoice in the references to both in this not-so-mysterious paean to Scotland. –Kirkus
My next dream vacation would be to Edinburgh with my mom.
ReplyDeleteKitten143 (at) Verizon (dot) net
My dream vacation would be to Ireland, Scotland, and London with my cousins. 3labsmom(at)gmail(dot)com.
ReplyDeleteMy dream vacation would be to Australia and New Zealand. I would take my best friend. cking78503(at)aol(dot)com
ReplyDeleteCan't wait for the opportunity to read "A SCONE OF CONTENTION" and to try those delicious sounding Cinnamon Scones! Thanks for the recipe and the chance to win a copy of this book on my TBR list.
ReplyDeleteMy next dream vacation would be to take the one we had to cancel in 2020 - to the five national parks in Utah. We had worked over a year to plan this trip and it was to have taken almost a month to complete. Praying that maybe by next year we can follow the same itinerary and go. As for who I'd take, it would be our chihuahua furbaby, hubby and me along with all our cameras to capture as much of the trip as possible to look back on years later. Our goal, now that retired, is to see as much of this amazing country of ours as possible while we can. We had thought it would be my medical issues that would tell us when to stop, but unfortunately stopping was taken out of our control. Just hoping it's a temporary delay.
2clowns at arkansas dot net
My dream vacation destination would be The Maldives - so gorgeous and serene. I would bring my husband and daughter and her boyfriend.
ReplyDeleteI love cinnamon scones - thanks for sharing your recipe! bobandcelia@sbcglobal.net
My dream vacation would be go explore the Amalfi Coast in Italy with my husband. Such beauty and scenic vistas. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteMy Dream vacation is to go back to Cape Cod and spend all my time leisurely shopping, sight seeing and eating with my friends.
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My dream vacation would be to go to Alaska for a land and sea tour with my daughter to see the amazing wildlife there.
ReplyDeleteThis recipe and the book are SO good!
ReplyDeleteDarn! Now I want a scone. Right now, not later when I might have time to make them.
I was exploring the web to find out what the difference is between scones that are triangularly shaped and those that are round or square. I haven't found anything that explains the difference, the why of it, but it seems rather US vs UK based.
Gee, do you think it's related to whether or not we put a "u" in words like flavor? ;o)
I want to spend a week exploring Boston and Cape Cod with special attention to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum and Titcomb's Bookshop in East Sandwich. I'd like to take this dream vacation with Tracy Neal, a former co-worker of mine.
ReplyDeleteI would go to Greece with my husband. Have always wanted to visit and enjoy the beautiful scenery and food.
ReplyDeleteI would go to Sicily with my husband. Thanks for the recipe and the giveaway! aut1063(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteI’d go to Maine with my boyfriend. I haven’t been there since I was a kid.
ReplyDeletesgiden at verizon(.)net
There's so many places I'd like to visit- New Orleans, Alaska, Australia, Ireland, England, back to Germany. I want to go everywhere!
ReplyDeletekozo8989(at)hotmail(dot)com
My father has a Scottish heritage, and I have never visited the city but would love to do so. i was warned by a friend years ago--bring a winter coat during the summer--but that doesn't bother me. I'd love to see the country and listen to those accents! mbunting(at)sbcglobal(dot)net
ReplyDeleteMy dream vacation would be to go to the Azores islands. I've heard its drop jaw gorgeous and inexpensive. I love seafood, beaches and being by the sea. ( But in reality my next dream vacation is probably to Acadia in Maine!)
ReplyDeleteMy dream vacation would be a cruise to Alaska with my Sister. I would love to see the mountains and the elk, moose and eagles in the wild.
ReplyDeletediannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com
DeleteIf it's a dream vacation, I'd dream BIG, and pretend hubby and I had the funds to travel around the world for weeks or months at a time and see all the sights we've always wanted to go to, including visiting friends and family in different countries. High on my list is Africa, Australia, New Zealand, the Seychelles. In Europe would love to visit the countryside of England, Scotland & Ireland, and eat our way through Italy, France, Spain & Greece. I love the parts of Canada I've seen, but missed Nova Scotia (where my dad's ancestors are from) and would love to visit Victoria on the western side. Oh, and all the other Caribbean islands. I should've been a travel writer! lola777_22 at hotmail dot com
ReplyDeleteWe are trying to plan a trip to Italy next year, with my husband and sons. Really hope we can make it happen.
ReplyDeleteDenise
dlc1228@gmail.com
I would love to travel to Norway and Sweden with my husband.
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allibrary (at) aol (dot) com
My dream vacation as the delta variant surges would be to return to France to eat real croissants, then take the Eurostar to London to catch the Royal Scotsman to Edinburgh. We could rent a car and drive around, dodging sheep and stopping to eat scones. Follow this with the ferry to Ireland and a drive around before heading to Iceland and tooling around the Ring Road. Dream on!
ReplyDeleteMy dream vacation would be to Positano with my hubby!!
ReplyDeleteI would take my family with me and go to Hawaii, recipe sounds good! tWarner419(at)aol(dot)com
ReplyDeleteOn it now, one granddaughter with me, seeing other family in Colorado.
ReplyDeletesallycootie(at)gmail (dot)com
St Andrew’s, Scotland to golf with my husband, George!!!
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DeleteMy dream vacation would be a European cruise and I would go with my family. cherierj(at)yahoo(dot)com
ReplyDeleteMy dream vacation would be Italy with my husband and kids! Your second recipe looks great! Will have to try it! Thanks for the chance!
ReplyDeletejarjm1980(at)hotmail(dot)com
I love any place with a beach - that's why my husband and I cruise. Cheers (at) MarjimManor (dot) com
ReplyDeleteif it's a fantasy vacation, then a world tour to see everything. i'd bring my mom.
ReplyDeletewskwared(at)yahoo(dot)com
I would visit Rome and the Italian countryside. Thanks for the chance!
ReplyDeleteJess
maceoindo(at)yahoo(dot)com
I've been trying to convince my family to go to Pitlochry, Scotland. I went 20 yrs ago, it was amazing! Maybe when it's safe to travel again. That recipe looks amazing!! I'm in! konecny7(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteI would love to visit Hawaii. It’s one of two states I haven’t seen. The other is Delaware.
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