classic currant scones

Today was such a lovely day. The weather in Winnipeg lately has been bananas, read: hot hot hot and rainless. Today, us fall/winter lovers got a much needed break from the heat. Now I don't usually like rain, but right now I would take whatever cooler weather brought with it, today it was drizzles and puddles. Fine by me.

With the breeze blowing through my home, I thought I would take the opportunity to use my oven. It has been untouched for quite some time now. After swimming and sauna-ing with my sister, I thought scone baking and tea drinking was in order. First, to bake the scones.

Classic Currant Scones
from Vegetarian Classics by Jeanne Lemlin

makes 1 dozen

2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar (i used raw sugar)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
1/2 cup currants
1 large egg
3/4 cup buttermilk
milk for glazing

Place oven rack in the top third of the oven. Preheat oven to 400. Lightly butter a baking sheet.

In a large mixing bowl combine dry ingredients and mix together thoroughly. Cut the butter into bits and toss them into the flour mixture. Rub the butter into the mixture with your fingertips until small pellets form. Stir in the currants.

Beat egg in a small bowl. Beat in the buttermilk. Pour into the flour mixture nad stir with a fork until the dough is evently moistened. Sprinkle a little flour on a work surface and drop the dough on it. Gather the dough into a ball and knead once or twice. Pat the dough into a 3/4-inch disk. Cut the disk into 12 triangles with a large knife. Brush the top of the scones with a little milk and place on the baking sheet.

Bake 15 minutes, or until lightly golden. Cool on a wire rack before serving.

The scone eating and tea drinking was just as enjoyable as the baking and was the perfect rainy day activity. They are going to taste extra delicious at the cabin tomorrow! It's supposed to be a cool day again. I can't wait.

Happy scone baking and eating.
V. xo

Soft Gingersnap Cookies with White Chocolate Chips

Oh man - Christmas has come and gone and I have yet to post all the Christmas baking I did! Okay, it wasn't as much as I just made it sound. I have always been slightly envious of the ladies that have baking that they do every year which become staples in their home, their families look forward to it, etc. etc. An example of this would be my mother. SO many staples. SO many treats. I have always wanted to do my own Christmas baking, apart and aside from the baking that I help my mom with, and also treats that are not the same as what my mom makes. So this year I did it, mostly. I made two treats that are pretty much my all-time faves and really, really yummy, and then found two new things to add. A total of four treats. I think this constitutes my own Christmas baking and I couldn't be more proud of myself. Gloat gloat gloat. The treat that turned out the ugliest but was supposed to be the prettiest was the Red Velvet Cake Ball disaster/delight. The next recipe that I tried for the first time was equally as yummy but looked way better were these tasty treats! They were a huge hit, I found the recipe on Tastespotting.

Soft Gingersnap Cookies with White Chocolate Chips

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup molasses
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 large eggs
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips

1 cup granulated sugar-for coating cookie dough balls

1. Preheat oven to Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment papers or with a silicone baking mat. Set aside.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until smooth and creamy.

3. Beat in the molasses, canola oil, vanilla, baking soda, salt, and spices. Mix until well combined.

4. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until smooth. Slowly add in the flour. Next, stir in the white chocolate chips.

5. Scoop the dough into balls and roll in granulated sugar. Place on lined baking sheets, about two inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes, the cookies will still be soft. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on the baking sheet for five minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

Makes about 50 cookies



Enjoy! I hope your loved ones love these cookies as much as mine!

V. xo

Red Velvet Cake Balls

Ahhh, the sweet anticipation of Christmas - the holiday I hold closest to my heart. Besides the obvious traditions that bring out the best (and worst) in children and elderly alike, the tradition that this year I am choosing to be the most excited about is baking. In the last couple of years my interest in Christmas baking has been growing ever so slightly and this year I feel as though it is my duty and responsibility of a Mennonite wife to preheat my oven, put on my Christmas apron and melt some chocolate.

Last year my lovely sister Livy asked me to make a special Christmas treat with her but due to the pressures of end of term exams I was unable to take part in this event. She had wanted to make Red Velvet Cake Balls with me. Over the year, this idea stayed with me, and when my friend Tiffany left for the States, I put in a request for a box of Red Velvet cake mix which is unavailable in dear old Canada. Home safe and sound she presented to me my requested item and a few days (or weeks) later I submitted myself to the cake box on my counter. I won't say my first attempt was a complete success (see below), but they were delicious and quite a hit. I'm not sure what the trick is for the white chocolate but I will surely do better on attempt number 2 as these festive treats are now a staple in my Christmas baking repretoire.

Here is the link to the recipe and directions: http://www.bakerella.com/red-velvet-cake-balls/







Happy melting, sculpting and enjoying!

V. xo