Kira Grogg · this is what i do

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Posts tagged with 'food'

Found 4 posts

Long recipe title = many sources of deliciousness.

The following recipe is based on this one from smitten kitchen. This is by far the best scone base I've found (to my taste).  I was looking for a recipe that mimicked the insanely moist scones one can buy at Lazy Jane's in Madison, WI. Lazy Jane's has hands down the best scones ever, and frankly my favorite breakfast baked good. 

Because my baking is mostly eaten by me alone (and occasionally a little help from my husband or friends), I like to make smaller batches. Thus I present to you, a half-batch of scones (4-6 scones) with basic directions. You'll find a lot more use of teaspoons. The key to these creamy scones is the generous dose of heavy cream (obvs).

The recipe

Oven to 425°F. (Don't be like me so be sure it doesn't creep up to 450°F)

1 cups (130 grams)  flour

1.5 teaspoons baking powder

4 teaspoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2.5 tablespoons (35 grams) chilled, unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

Zest of 1 orange

~1/4 cup (30 g) dried cranberries, chopped

~1/4 cup (30 g) mini chocolate chips

1/2 cup - 1 teaspoon heavy cream

~2-3 teaspoons orange juice, divided

powdered sugar

orange extract (optional)

 

Mix flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.  In food processor or with a pastry cutter, blend in the butter until distributed and crumbly. Add in chopped cranberries or other dried fruit and orange zest. Blend a little bit more.

Move flour mixture to a bowl and mix in the mini chips. Add in not quite a half cup of heavy cream and one teaspoon of orange juice. I have had trouble with dough being too wet, so I usually add slightly less cream and only add more if needed.  

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface (been using a silpat mat for this). Pat into a rectangle about 3/4 - 1in thick and cut out circles (I used 7 cm and 6 cm cutters). Collect scraps, squish together, and repeat until all the dough is used. Cutting with a sharp cutter is important so as to not crimp the sides and impede rising.

Bake on lined (silpat or parchment paper) baking sheet for 10-12 minutes.  They should be a bit golden, but don't over bake or they will no longer be moist.  Cool on a rack.

Mix remaining ~teaspoon of orange juice and enough powdered sugar to make a runny glaze. I never bother to measure for glazes. I just gradually add more sugar or liquid until I get the right consistency. For these I added just a dash of orange extract and orange food coloring to make the glaze extra orange-flavored and orange-colored.  Drip glaze over cooled scones.

Eat. Enjoy. (Then maybe exercise...) 

This recipe should make about 4 properly sized scones, or 6 slightly flatter scones, or 8 if you use a smaller cutter for some of them. 

The results

Someday I will learn how to take a proper photo, but here they are:

   
(There is a gap on the plate because I already ate the baby one made from the last few scraps.)

As you can see I am not a very consistent baker as far as size goes.  Different widths were intentional (what if someone wants just a little bit of scone?), different heights were not :\   Bottoms are definitely darker than I intended (I'm blaming the cheap oven in my apartment that can't keep a proper temperature).

I added some orange food coloring to the drizzle. Normally I would have left it natural but I just got a new pack of colors and wanted to try them out (they are very vibrant). And....I just realized it looks like I drizzled melted cheese on a biscuit.... eh, still tasty!

Scones and tea anyone?

 

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Halloween 2014

02 November, 2014

I made a few Halloween decorations for a party, but no carved pumpkins this year :(

Decorations include ghost fridge, Frankencandle, and a ghost bag (which held spare costumes for people too lame to show up in one).

These simply involved markers, paper cutouts, and lots of double sided tape. I love double sided tape!

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Mario Kart Cookies

16 June, 2014

My boyfriend hosted a Mario Kart 8 tournament last weekend. I've been a huge Nintendo fan ever since I slowly appropriated each of my brother's consoles for myself. I wanted to bring a treat, and I figured what could be better than cookies shaped like the boost mushrooms! Get it? Because the cookies have sugar = energy = boost?

I started with an old sugar cookie recipe that has forever been my favorite. My family calls them "Waveguide sailing cookies" because apparently my parents first encountered them when sailing on my uncle's boat "Waveguide", but it is a fairly basic sugar cookie recipe. The dough is simple to put together, but the rest of the process can be lengthly, depending on how fancy you want to get.

Ingredients

Dough
  • ¾ cup soft salted butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 jigger (3 Tbsp) rum
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all purpose flour + extra for rolling
Icing
  • Powdered sugar (several cups)
  • Lemon juice or milk
  • Other flavorings (vanilla, almond extract, orange extract, etc.)

Equipment

  • Large bowl, mixing spoon, cup and spoon measures
  • Rolling pin
  • Baking sheet and parchment paper
  • Cookie cutter or beer can + scissors + glue
  • Oven at 350°F
  • Food coloring (red, maybe yellow)



These too could be yours

Tasty mushrooms, unlike the real kind

 

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"Gingerbread" House

18 December, 2013

I made a little "gingerbread" house, but because I'm lazy, it's really more of a graham cracker house. The kind you make in 2nd grade. I don't think I have a problem finding my inner child.

Graham cracker 'gingerbread' house