Scones are wonderfully delicious and delightfully British treats. Served during proper tea, they come with clotted cream and a variety of jams. Usually though, by the time scones come around during tea I’m feeling full from the smoked salmon sandwiches and pastries so I often just have a bite or two before raising a white flag. Must. get. better. I’d been searching for ways to use the rhubarb I’d recently picked up at Whole Foods (you can find them in practically every grocery store and market this time of year), and realized they would be superb in scones. The tartness from the rhubarb mixed with the slight sugary sweet topping made our breakfast table (yes, breakfast for us! we couldn’t wait) that much more special this weekend. These are great to share too, as it does make about 10 scones. I wrapped some up in clear cellophane and tied it with a spring green velvet ribbon for two of our favorite London friends — a pretty package and a preview of what’s to come!
Kristen’s Rhubarb Scones
3 stalks of fresh rhubarb, trimmed and sliced into quarter-inch pieces
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
115 grams unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup heavy cream
To make the scones, preheat your oven to 218C/425F. Using parchment paper, line a baking sheet completely, folding any edges to make sure it fits. (You won’t need to use any nonstick spray this way.) In a medium-sized bowl, toss your chopped rhubarb with about 3 tablespoons of sugar. Sift together the flour, 1/4 cup of sugar, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. Once sifted, add in the butter and cut with a pastry blender. The butter should be in small pieces (about the size of peas) that are easy to mix together and soft. Add in the rhubarb, vanilla and cream. Add paddle attachment to the KitchenAid mixer (or you can use a spatula) and mix together on medium to create the dough.
Add a bit of flour to your hands and surface so the dough is easy to handle. Using your hands knead it together till it’s a giant ball. Transfer the dough to the surface, pat it down to a oval or rectangle about a half inch in thickness. Cut the dough with a knife into about 10 even pieces. Arrange onto the cookie sheet, top each scone with the remaining sugar and bake for about 20 minutes. Enjoy! x
