Cornmeal Scones

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Cornmeal Scones

 

2 cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup fine cornmeal

1/3 cup granulated white sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest

1 cup currants, raisins, cranraisins or dried cherries

1 cup (240 ml) half & half cream, or whipping cream

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Glaze:

Cream

 

 

 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) and place the oven rack in the

center of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

 

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt,

and orange zest. Add the currants to the flour mixture and stir well. In a small

measuring cup whisk together the cream, egg, and vanilla extract. Add this to

the flour mixture and stir just until the dough comes together.

 

Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead dough gently four or five times

and then pat, or roll, the dough into a circle that is about 7 inches (18 cm)

round and about 1 1/2 inches (3.75 cm) thick. Cut this circle in half, then cut

each half into 3 pie-shaped wedges (triangles). Place the scones on the baking

sheet. Brush the tops of the scones with a little cream.

 

Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted

in the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to

cool.

 

Makes 6 scones.

 

Author: Daley, Regan. 'In the Sweet Kitchen'. Random House Canada.

Source: JoyOfBaking.com

Formatted by Chupa Babi: 06.03.08

 

 

" I love a good scone. The scone's roots may be in Britain, but North Americans

have made them their own. Take these Cornmeal Scones. They are not the type of

scone to cut in half and eat with clotted cream and jam. No, these are big and

flavorful and make a great on-the-go breakfast with a steaming cup of coffee.

 

A Cornmeal Scone is different than Cornmeal Bread which contains lots of

cornmeal and just a little flour. Cornmeal Scones are the other way around. They

contain just 1/3 cup (50 grams) of cornmeal to 2 cups (280 grams) of flour. But

that is all the cornmeal it takes to give these scones a pleasing hint of

nuttiness and grittiness. These scones are also unique in that they do not have

any butter in them. Instead, they contain extra liquid, in the form of cream,

which gives them a rich flavor with a crumbly texture while still being tender

and moist. Dried fruit is also added to these scones. While dried cherries or

cranberries are excellent, I decided on dried currants which are dried tiny dark

seedless Zante grapes. They have a sweet flavor that is excellent in baked

goods. If they are nice and soft nothing needs to be done before adding them to

the scone dough. But if they are a little hard and dry, you may want to soften

them first in water, orange

juice, or even rum or brandy, before adding them to the scones.

 

Cornmeal is made from corn kernels that have been dried and ground. It is known

as Polenta in Italy and Maize Meal in other parts of the world. It comes in

different colors and textures with 'stone ground' cornmeal having a coarser

grind. Whereas regular cornmeal is made from corn that has had its germ removed

during the milling process, 'stone ground' cornmeal uses the entire grain. This

gives it a more pronounced nutty toasted corn flavor and crunchy texture. I

mention stone ground cornmeal because that is what I like to use in this recipe

although regular fine ground cornmeal is perfectly good. When buying cornmeal

make sure to check the expiration date on the container and store in a cool dry

place. "

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