Category: Breakfast

Servings: 8 to 12 large scones
Preheat: 315
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Source: New York Times (Adapted from “Bake It, Don’t Fake It,” by Heather Bertinetti)

The orange zest and currants in these tender scones are an homage to the chef Judy Rodgers of the Zuni Cafe in San Francisco, who made her storied scones until 1997. The dough and method here, though, are adapted from Heather Bertinetti, the pastry chef at the Four Seasons restaurant in New York. The genius of this particular scone recipe is in the geometry. Slicing a rolled-out slab of dough into squares or rectangles is infinitely simpler than cutting out rounds — and there’s less chance of toughening the dough by re-rolling it and adding more flour. You can use any kind of chopped dried fruit in place of the currants.

Ingredients: 

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
Freshly grated zest of 1 orange or tangerine
1/4 pound (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup currants, or use raisins, dried cranberries or small chunks of other dried fruit
Egg wash (2 large eggs beaten with 1 tablespoon water)
2 tablespoons brown sugar, for sprinkling (optional)

Directions: 

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or baking mat, or use a nonstick pan.
2. Toss dry ingredients and zest together in a large bowl. Using your fingertips or a pastry cutter, rub butter and flour mixture together just until butter pieces are the size of peas and covered with flour. Make a well in the center of the bowl and pour in egg and cream. Mix ingredients together by hand until a shaggy dough is formed.
3. Turn out onto a floured surface and gently mix in currants, kneading dough and currants together just until incorporated.
4. Pat dough into a 3/4- to 1-inch-thick rectangle. Cut rectangle in half lengthwise, then cut across into 8 or 12 smaller rectangles. Place them on the baking sheet, spaced out.
5. Brush tops with egg wash and sprinkle with brown sugar (if using). Bake until light golden brown, about 22 minutes; rotate the pan front to back halfway through. Let scones cool slightly on the baking sheet. Serve warm or at room temperature. Eat within 24 hours.

Servings: 12
Prep Time: 45 min
Source: Gourmet | October 1991
This is the Rolls-Royce of bran muffin recipes.

Ingredients
* 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
* 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
* 1 large egg, beaten lightly
* 1 cup sour cream
* 1/4 cup dark molasses
* 1/2 cup raisins
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup miller’s bran (available at natural foods stores, specialty foods shops, and some supermarkets)

Directions
In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream together the butter and the brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, beat in the egg, the sour cream, and the molasses, and stir in the raisins. In a bowl whisk together the flour, the baking soda, the salt, and the bran, add the mixture to the sour cream mixture, and stir the batter until it is just combined. (The batter will be lumpy.) Spoon the batter into 12 well-buttered 1/3-cup muffin tins and bake the muffins in the middle of a preheated 400°F. oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are golden brown and springy to the touch. Turn the muffins out onto a rack and let them cool.