Sweet Treat!

I always get excited when I catch a cooking show while doing cardio at the gym. Of course, the cooking show inevitably makes me hungry, which makes me go home and eat which defeats the purpose of the cardio, but at least I leave with some new ideas for baking/cooking. Most recently I watched Giada at Home on the Food Network and saw her make Strawberry and Rosemary Scones. I had never attempted to make scones before, and the fact that she made them into cute little heart shapes made me want to give them a try (especially since they would look super cute sitting out for our anniversary weekend). I searched online and found the recipe here along with the video clip from Giada's show where she makes the scones. I love hearing her tips along the way - for example to use cold butter right from the refrigerator which makes the dough more fluffy. Although my scones didn't look exactly like Giada's (sigh) they were still quite tasty, and so much fun to make! The rosemary adds an interesting depth of flavor and Max and I both enjoyed munching on the sweet treat ; )

Strawberry and Rosemary Scones

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Prep Time:

14 min

Inactive Prep Time:

1 hr 0 min

Cook Time:

20 min

Level:

Easy

Serves:

14 scones

Ingredients

Scones:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup strawberry jam

Glaze:

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, from 1 large lemon
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 to 2 tablespoons water
• Special equipment: a 3-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter

Directions

For the scones: Place an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper. Set aside.

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together the flour, sugar, baking powder, rosemary, salt, and butter until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Gradually stir in the cream until the mixture forms a dough. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a 1/2-inch thick, 10-inch circle. Using a 3-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out heart-shaped pieces of dough and put on the prepared baking sheet. Gently knead together any leftover pieces of dough and roll out to 1/2-inch thick. Cut the dough into more heart shapes and add to the baking sheet. Using an index finger or a small, round measuring spoon, gently make an indentation in the center of each pastry heart. Spoon a heaped 1/2 teaspoon of jam into each indentation. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Transfer the cooked scones onto a wire rack and cool for 30 minutes.

For the glaze: In a medium bowl, mix together the lemon juice and powdered sugar until smooth. Gradually add the water until the mixture is thin enough to spread. Using a spoon, drizzle the glaze over the scones. Let the glaze set for about 30 minutes. Serve or store in an airtight plastic container for 2 days.

Cook's Note: The dough can also be made by hand by stirring together the flour, sugar, baking powder, rosemary, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter. Using your fingertips or a pastry blender, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Gradually stir in the cream until the mixture forms a dough.