Huckleberry Scones

A regional favorite, huckleberries are the star in this tea-time pastry. 

Adapted from The Joy of Cooking.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons chilled, unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 cup fresh huckleberries
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk or cream

Brushing tops of scones:
Milk or Cream
Streusel Topping:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces


Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and place rack in middle of oven. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

For the Scones: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut the butter into small pieces and blend into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. Gently fold in the huckleberries. In a small measuring cup combine the cream, beaten egg and vanilla. Add this mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until the dough comes together. Do not over mix the dough or the scones will be tough.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead the dough gently four or five times and then pat the dough into a circle that is about 7 inches round and about 1 1/2 inches thick. Cut this circle in half, then cut each half into four pie-shaped wedges. Place the scones on the baking sheet. Brush the tops of the scones with a little cream or milk.

For the Streusel Topping: In a small bowl whisk together the sugar, flour, and cinnamon. With a pastry blender, cut in the butter until crumbly. Top each scone with a teaspoon or two of the streusel mixture. Cover and refrigerate any leftover streusel mixture.

Bake the scones until nicely browned, about 18 - 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a scone comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly. These are best eaten the day they are made. Freeze leftovers within 24 hours of baking.

Makes 8 large or 24 small scones.

Orange and Dark Chocolate Cream Scones

No holds barred on the ingredients in this decadent treat! Inspired by a favorite combination of flavors and real English scones at tea, this recipe is an original creation.

Orange Cream Scones with Dark Chocolate Chips

2 cups unbleached flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 T baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup organic sugar
Zest of one large orange, grated
1 stick organic butter
Juice from orange
1 large egg
1 cup cream, light or heavy
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place all dry ingredients and zest in bowl of food processor, add cold, chunked butter, and pulse just long enough to bring mixture to consistency of cornmeal. Place mixture in large mixing bowl and mix in chocolate chips. Add enough orange juice to cream to make 1 1/4 cups, adding more cream if you're light on the amount of juice. Add egg and whisk all together, then add liquids to the dry mixture and mix with a fork just long enough to almost completely combine. Amount of liquid may need to be adjusted slightly according to weather or humidity. Turn out onto lightly floured surface and gently knead mixture 5 to 6 turns, just enough to bring together into a ball and finish incorporating dry mixture if needed. At this point, you can either pat the dough out into about a 8-9 inch circle and cut into wedges, or roll out 1 inch thick and, using a circular cutter, cut into as many circles as the dough will yield. It will make about 24- 2 inch round scones, or 6-8 wedges. Place on parchment lined or insulated cookie sheet.

Place in oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, depending on your oven and size of scones, until golden brown on top. Serve or freeze within a day of baking.

The World’s Best Cookie

From: San Francisco a La Carte by the Junior League of San Francisco

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1 egg

1 cup salad oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup rolled oats, regular

1 cup crushed cornflakes

½ cup shredded coconut

½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans

3 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon soda

1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add egg, mixing well, then salad oil, mixing well. Then add vanilla extract. Add oats, cornflakes, coconut and nuts, stirring well. Then add flour, soda. And salt. Mix well and form into balls the size of small walnuts, place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten with a fork dipped in water. Bake for 18 minutes. Allow to cool on cookie sheets for a few minutes before removing. Makes 8 dozen. Also tasty straight from the freezer!

Bake Sale Goodies!

These iced lemon cookies have been seen flying off the tables at recent bake sales. No more waiting until the next bake sale to taste these delectable treats!

Cherylann's Iced Lemon Cookies
1½ cups powdered sugar
1 cup sofened butter

1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp almond (or lemon) extract
2 ½ cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar

Combine powder sugar and butter, add egg and extracts. Mix in dry ingredients. Chill dough for 3 hours. Roll out to med/thin, about ¼ to ½ inch thick. Cut with round or other cookie cutter shapes. May be also cut in squares. Bake on parchment paper at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove and cool.

Lemon Frosting
½ cup softened butter
2 ½ cups powdered sugar (more or less as needed to achieve desired texture)
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ tsp salt

Combine butter and sugar, blending well with mixer. Slowly add the lemon juice. Add salt last, as you wish. Frost generously after cookies are cooled. Refrigerating the frosted cookies for about 15 minutes helps top set the icing; they can be refrigerated longer if you wish.
______________________________________________________________________________________________

Always in demand, these mixed nut bars have been a staple treat at Women's Club events for as long as anyone can remember, and now we've talked the baker into sharing her recipe with us!

Arlene's Mixed Nut Bars
adapted from a Taste of Home recipe

1½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup packed brown sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons cold butter or margarine, divided
1 can (11.5 ounces) mixed nuts
1 cup butterscotch chips
½ cup light corn syrup

Preheat oven to 350. In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in ½ cup butter or margarine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press into a greased 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with nuts. Melt butterscotch chips. Add corn syrup and remaining 2 tbsp butter; mix well. Pour over nuts. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool. Cut into 48 bars.
______________________________________________________________________________________________

Sometimes the simplest (and best quality!) ingredients makes the tastiest variation of a recipe, and this adaptation of an old time recipe just proves it.

Wendy's Peanut Butter Cookies
adapted from an old Betty Crocker Cookbook recipe

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup natural peanut butter (the kind you have to stir)
1 egg
1 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Cream sugars, and butter in large mixing bowl, add peanut butter and egg, mixing thoroughly. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl and then add to the creamed mixture. (At this point, the dough may be covered and refrigerated if desired for convenience.) Heat oven to 375ºF. 
Shape dough into about 1 inch balls, 
placed about 3 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten in crisscross pattern with fork (dipped into sugar or water if need be). 
Bake 9 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. 
Cool 5 minutes; remove from cookie sheet and finsih cooling on wire rack. Makes 3 dozen.