scones

Fresh Cherry and Double Chocolate Almond Scones

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / Leave a comment

Do you like fruit? I love fruit. Fresh, juicy fruit is something I crave pretty much year-round. When I was pregnant last year, I couldn’t get enough fruit. And now, FW is a fruit fiend. He’ll eat pretty much any fruit!

This time of year especially, I can’t get enough stone fruit. Nectarines. Peaches. Cherries. So, when Northwest Cherries reached out and asked if I’d like to try some of their cherries, I of course said yes.

The Northwest U.S. is actually known for seven varieties of cherries, including Bing cherries, the most popular cherry in North America, and Rainiers. You can typically spot the sweet cherries by their darker red skins – in general, the darker, the sweeter.

So, while I’ve been enjoying eating cherries by the handful (and spitting out the seeds … so ladylike), I’ve also been enjoying testing out different recipes using my delicious bounty. In addition to making these cherry pie bars, I have also been dabbling in the scone game (or should I say Game of Scones? #nerdhumor).

These scones are a great way to use some fresh cherries, but also just great in general. The combination of cherry and almond is great, and the dark and white chocolate picks up on the cherries’ sweetness.

The only part about this recipe I don’t like? Chopping and seeding the cherries. But, if you can get past that, then I highly recommend you make these.

Luckily, B decided that he doesn’t mind chopping and seeding cherries, so I see more cherry recipes in my future. If you don’t have yourself a B to chop the cherries, I suggest you wear clothes you don’t care about and be prepared to have deep red cherry hands for a little while!

Fresh Cherry and Double Chocolate Almond Scones

Makes about 12 scones

Here’s what you need:

  • 3 1/4 cups flour
  • 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cups cold butter, sliced into pieces
  • 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 cup of your favorite chocolate chopped up or chips – I used 1/2 cup semisweet and 1/2 cup of white chocolate chunks
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and chopped

Here’s what you do:

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and powder. Using your fingers or a fork, cut in butter until the batter resembles coarse crumbs.
  3. Add in coconut milk and almond extract. Combine until batter is wet and sticky.
  4. Fold in cherries and chocolate. Combine with a spatula or spoon until dough is evenly mixed.
  5. Divide dough in half and pat down into two even circles about 1 inch high.  Cut into 6 triangles.
  6. Bake on an oven sheet lined with foil or parchment paper for 12-14 minutes. Enjoy!

Some questions for you:

  • What’s your favorite fruit?
  • Do you like fruit desserts?

Disclosure: Northwest Cherries provided me some cherries to sample. All reviews and opinions are my own.

Cherry Almond Scones

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 4 Comments

B loves scones. You may know that – I’ve made them before (blueberry buttermilk and pumpkin are my faves), but I’m always looking for new recipes to try out.

A few months ago, B and I were in Cincinnati and we stayed with our friends Teddy and Suzanne. In the morning after we woke up, we were greeted with french press coffee AND freshly baked cherry almond scones. The scones were SO good, that B had to have the recipe. Teddy had baked them himself, so of course he had to share the recipe. And now – I’m sharing them with you!

cherry almond scones-icrashedtheweb

Cherry Almond Scones (a.k.a. Teddy’s scones :))

Here’s what you need:

  • 1/2 cup dried cherries
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup sugar, plus 1 Tablespoon for the topping
  • 1 Tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1-2 tsp lemon rind (optional)

Here’s what you do:

  1. Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
  2. In a bowl, combine dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
  3. Cut butter into small chunks. Add pieces to dry mixture. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, incorporate butter pieces until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add in the cherries and almonds.
  4. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, coconut milk and almond extract.
  5. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients to the well. Carefully combine, just until moistened.
  6. Place dough onto a work surface, and pat and shape dough into a 1/2 to 1-inch-thick round. Cut into 8 wedges. Transfer to baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  7. Brush with a Tablespoon of sugar and lemon rind (optional) on top.
  8. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

cherry almond scones-icrashedtheweb

Some questions for you:

  • Do you like sweet or savory scones?
  • What’s the best scone you’ve ever had? I need new ideas 🙂

PS- I just realized I went ALL july without posting a recipe!? How the heck did that happen?

Loving The Weekends: Comedy, Running, Burgers, Pho and the Beatles

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / Leave a comment

What a GREAT weekend! I would have to say that this may have been one of my most favorite weekends of the summer. The weather was perfect, the food was good, B and I had a nice long run AND my parents were in town. Can’t really think of a better way to spend the weekend, can you?

The weekend, in photos:

My parents came in Friday late afternoon and we were lucky enough to be able to enjoy dinner outside. The weather was great, so we picked up beer and burgers at Dynomite before heading to a comedy show.

Check out my dad’s shirt 🙂

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My veggie burger. SO good. SO big. And yes, I ate it all (fries not pictured).

dynomite veggie burger

After the meal, we headed to Hilarities for a free comedy show. I had won tickets earlier in the week and we were able to see Alonzo Bodden. B and I had seen him at the Laugh Factory in LA and were looking forward to seeing him in Cleveland. Here’ s a clip from one of his shoes from this winter (not this weekend). He was great! My parents loved him!

Saturday morning started early with a 9 mile run with B. Honestly, I was NOT feeling it for the first 5 miles. Yes, 5 miles. But after a short water break at mile 5 I felt so much better and the last 4 were great! Who knows why – sometimes it takes me 2 … or 5 I suppose … miles for my legs to warm up.

9 miles

 

I bought new shoes! I was super pumped to model them (pardon the cheesy pic).

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Post-run, we met up with my parents and headed to Tremont to enjoy some lunch and then the West Side Market for some fresh produce. Of course we had to stop off for tea in the afternoon at our favorite place, Cleveland Tea Revival.

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My mom and I both got some iced tea – ginger and peach. Yum!

my favorite tea

Saturday night, we took my parents to Superior Pho. Since there were four of us, we got a feast! Not everything is pictured. We got a chicken cabbage salad, Bahn Mi,  the spicy pho, egg rolls AND spring rolls.

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I think my dad enjoyed his pho!

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But of course we saved room for dessert. We took a post-dinner walk and  got frozen yogurt at Lemonberry. Confession – you may not be able to see the froyo because I may have taken a little of every candy they had.

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Saturday night after my parents left/went to bed, I decided to use up some of the blueberries we had and made these buttermilk blueberry scones again. Because Sunday mornings with blueberry scones for breakfast = amazing. You should probably make the recipe sometime – it’s very easy and really yummy!

scones

Sunday after my parents got back on the road to NY (sadness!) B and I took a walk around downtown. It was a GORGEOUS morning! We stopped at my favorite fountain. I don’t know why but I LOVE this fountain – it’s a war memorial as well.

walking

And then we walked to the harbor. It was SO pretty out! I’m glad we went for a walk – I get sad to see my parents go, and B knows this – I think that’s why he decided to take my mind off them leaving and instead get me a ginormous coffee (I will be drinking it for 3 days) and take me for a walk.

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Sunday afternoon I got in an easy workout (I’m trying to be REALLY good and not run too many miles and days in a row and stay injury free this year!) while B golfed with his family.

After a little work, B and I spent the evening at Blossom! This is my second time this summer going and we this time we sat on the lawn, enjoyed some wine and cheese AND Beatles music. I LOVE the Beatles – they remind me of car trips with my family growing up (The Long And Winding Road has multiple meanings for me – I swear it always came on as we were driving through the long and winding roads of upstate NY) and hearing the Cleveland Orchestra play the songs was awesome. And it was another beautiful night, so we packed a picnic dinner of a great salad, wine and cheese. I had an AMAZING time and seriously almost cried of happiness. Yes, it was that good.

I can’t get enough of the amazing weather we’ve been having. Can’t summer just stay forever?

So this weekend was just what I needed after last week. And now I’m off to start a crazy week –  this week entails some travel for work, some super early morning meetings and even an event for a board I’m on. Yes, I’ll be counting down until Labor Day!

Some questions for you:

  • Do you have a favorite comic? Do you go to comedy shows?
  • Did you get in a run this weekend?
  • Just got new running shoes! What shoes are you running in these days? Loving my new sneakers!
  • What’s your go-to Vietnamese food item? I can never decide between pho or bun!
  • Did you do any baking this weekend?
  • Favorite Beatles song?

Blueberry Buttermilk Scones

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / Leave a comment

The love affair started a few years ago, when B and I went to Ireland. I hadn’t been a fan before then – and neither had B – but after our trip, the seed was planted. We were hooked. We LOVED scones.

OK that may be a little dramatic, but it’s true. I never reallllly liked scones. I didn’t not like them (the only baked good I really don’t like are donuts…I know, I’m weird) but I didn’t love them. But something happened in Ireland – each bed and breakfast we stayed at we were greeted with freshly baked scones, tea, and sometimes Irish coffee. The scones were often warm, right from the oven, and had the perfect texture. And so shortly after we got home, B started ordering scones at more and more coffee places. And I was hooked.

So, when I found myself with two pints of fresh blueberries (thanks Fresh Fork!) and not enough time to eat both of them, I knew what I had to make – blueberry scones. The recipe is easy, it’s quick (quicker than banana blueberry bread, another contender) and pretty delicious. Try it!

blueberry buttermilk scones - i crashed the web

Blueberry Buttermilk Scones

Here’s what you need:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup salted butter
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 egg
  • 2/3 cup buttermilk
  • 1 1/2 cup blueberries (I used fresh ones from our Fresh Fork CSA)

Here’s what you do:

  1. Preheat oven to 400.
  2. In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir together.
  3. Cut butter into small chunks. Add pieces to dry mixture. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, incorporate butter pieces until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  4. Add blueberries carefully. Coat the blueberries with the crumbly mixture and set aside dry ingredients.
  5. In a small bowl, combine egg, buttermilk and vanilla.
  6. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add buttermilk mixture to the well. Carefully combine, just until moistened.
  7. Place dough onto a work surface, and pat and shape dough into a 1-inch-thick round. Cut into 8 wedges. Transfer to baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  8. Bake for 16-18 minutes or until top is golden brown and toothpick inserted in dough comes out clean.
blueberry buttermilk scones - i crashed the web

YUM

Some questions for you:

  • Are there any baked goods you don’t really enjoy? Mine are donuts. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll eat one if I have to, but I almost always choose a different baked good. Like a muffin. Or cookie. Or apple fritter 🙂
  • Any great blueberry recipes to share? I still have another pint!
  • Do you have any fond food memories from recent trips? Any foods you grew to love after experiencing them on a vacation?

Pumpkin Scones with Maple Butter Glaze

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 3 Comments

Pumpkin season is here! For all you pumpkin haters out there (you know who you are) stop reading this NOW because there is nothing more in this post for you. But if you’re a pumpkin lover, I promise you’ll love this recipe.

B loves scones. He started enjoying them when we went to Ireland and hasn’t turned back since. In fact, on our West Coast trip from a few weeks ago we had quite the adventure each day trying to find him a scone he would enjoy – it was difficult. But we managed 🙂

Anyway, when B wasn’t home, I decided to surprise him with some pumpkin scones. I must warn you – these were a little moister (Yes, I went there) than the typical scone, but they were still pretty awesome. The combination of the pumpkin, fall spices and maple really works well.

I have to admit, I took some elements from this recipe, also from this recipe and then pretty much just used what I had on hand. Which is maybe why there weren’t as dry as your typical scone. Or it could be the pumpkin. I’ll have to find out next time!

pumpkin scones with maple butter glaze {i crashed the web}

Pumpkin Scones with Maple Butter Glaze

Here’s what you need for the scones:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½  cup granulated sugar
  •  1 Tablespoon baking powder
  •  ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  •  ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  •  ½ teaspoon ground allspice
  •  ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  •  6 Tablespoons butter, cold
  •  ½ cup canned pumpkin
  •  1/3 cup buttermilk
  •  1 large egg

Here’s what you need for the glaze:

  • 1½ tablespoons butter
  • ¾ cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 Tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1 Tablespoon water, if needed

Here’s what you do:

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and ginger in a large bowl.
  3. Slice the butter into small pieces and use a fork to cut the butter into the dry ingredients. Combine until mixture is crumbly and butter is no longer visible.
  4. In a small bowl, combine pumpkin, buttermilk and egg. Fold pumpkin mixture into flour butter mixture and combine.
  5. Pat out dough onto a lightly floured surface and form into two balls. Push down lightly on the balls and then use a knife to cut the dough into slices (like a pizza). Place slices on prepared baking sheet. Warning – the dough will grow larger!
  6. Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until light brown. Place on wire rack to cool.
  7. After the scones have cooled, drizzle the glaze on top. To make the glaze, melt the butter in a saucepan on low. Add in vanilla and powdered sugar and combine until smooth. Add maple syrup. Add water if glaze is too thick. Drizzle on the scones.
  8. Enjoy!
promise they taste better than they look.

promise they taste better than they look.