[Inez] So, I finished my thesis draft!

The rough draft of my thesis was due Wednesday evening, so since I'm a terrible procrastinator and since it's kind of a big deal, I of course spent three days straight with my butt glued to my computer chair, my eyeballs turning into rectangles from staring at the computer screen for so many hours. That sentence was kind of run-on, sorry. Jamie, I swear I tried to cut half of my sentences in half. Just for you.


Anyway, besides spending that time wanting to stretch my poor aching back and move my poor stagnant (yes, think puddles of putrescent muck) muscles, I spent that time really wanting to cook. I guess I should say, wanting to bake. I like cooking and all, but baking I love.


Scones are comfort baked good number one, so obviously I made those first. I stick with the Joy of Cooking recipe because it's never done me wrong. And I know bakeries put all kind of fun things in their scones, but currants are what I grew up with and currants are the best. Small and subtle, they make the scone interesting without being overwhelming or presumptuous. Also the ones on the bottom get all toasty and carmelized -- yum.


So, currant scones from the Joy of Cooking. Oh, and the recipe is really easy, too. Basically you just cut some butter into into some flour and other stuff. (Sue Kittel's time-saving tip: freeze the butter beforehand and then GRATE IT with a grater into your dries. I know, crazy, right? I've tried it, it works.)


Then you mix some eggs and some cream (I used half and half because I was saving the cream for the deliciousness soon to come in my next post).


Make a well in the dry ingredients, quickly mix together (DON'T overstir, your scones will be tough and chewy instead of light and flaky).


The recipe says to pat it out on a floured surface. I always roll it out because I'm lazy and also because I really, really like my rolling pin.


Then you cut them up. I wanted to make little heart-shaped scones because I have a heart-shaped cookie cutter, but I couldn't find it because this girl had used it when she came to use our kitchen for two days to make baked goods for her boyfriend because it wasn't enough that she was going all the way to Duke to visit him, she had to make him three ENORMOUS containers of cookies and stuff and she didn't even leave us ONE as a thank you for using our kitchen.

So anyway, the scones were triangles.

One more note-- the original recipe says to set aside some of the beaten egg to brush the tops of the scones before baking. I've always just used egg white, but I tried it this time with the whole egg. I didn't like it -- not only did it make the scones a kind of sickly yellow color, the yolk made the top kind of tough. Stick with just the egg white.




Recipe (courtesy of Joy of Cooking, 1975 edition, with my slight alteration on the egg thing)
makes about 12 scones (feel free to double the recipe-- I always do)


Preheat oven to 450 F.
Sift together in a large bowl:

• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 2 1/4 t baking powder
• 1 T sugar
• 1/2 t salt

Cut into these ingredients, until the size of small peas:

• 1/4 cup cold butter

Beat in a separate bowl:

• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup cream

Make a well in the dry ingredients. Pour the liquid into it. Combine with a few swift strokes. Handle the dough as little as possible. Place it on a lightly floured board and pat (or roll) until 3/4 inch thick. Cut as you please.

Crack another egg, separating white and yolk. Give the yolk to your dog, she will be so happy. Brush the tops of the scones with the white. Don't sprinkle with sugar, that ruins the scones.

Bake about 15 minutes.