Saskatoon Berry Scones

Aug 21, 2019

A lunchtime city walk became such a fruitful trip when I stumbled upon a Farmer’s Market a block from my office. Saskatoon berries look like blueberries; but are surprisingly related to the apple family. The city of Saskatoon was named after this berry.

Yield/Serving: 6-8
Prep Time: 20 min.
Cook Time: 20-25 min.
Difficulty level is: Easy

Ingredients
• 1 cup 2% milk
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 4 cups flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar (use – 1/2 cup)
• 1 cup butter
• 1 large egg
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 – 1 ½ cups Saskatoon Berries

Assembly
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
3. Combine milk and baking soda together in a medium sized bowl and let rest.
4. Using a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
5. Cut butter into cubes and blend using a pastry blender.
6. Add in milk mixture and mix.
7. Gently mix Saskatoon berries and incorporate.
8. Flour work surface and lightly knead dough until a ball is formed.
9. By hand flatten dough and fold dough over again a few times.
10. Shape dough into a 9” circle, cut into 6 to 8 wedges, place on cookie sheet, and leave space between each piece.
11. Brush with milk and bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned on top.
12. Let cool a little and serve.

Tips
• You can also use a food processor if so desired.

Please Enjoy

My thoughts
I’m surprised at how my scones always turn out. For some reason I just never know with scones and yet they come out soft and fluffy and bursting with flavour. All enjoyed these and the only comment was where the clotted cream and jam is. Now these had to travel so I didn’t bring those; but it was perfect none the less.

Gooseberry Ginger Thyme Honey Cake

Aug 8, 2019

Another trip to the farmers market and I found another interesting fruit; the gooseberry. These spiny fruits are quite sour if you eat them alone; but combining them with other ingredients results in a delightful cake.

Yield/Serving: 8
Prep Time: 20 min.
Cook Time: 50 min. to 1 hour
Difficulty level is: Easy

Ingredients
Gooseberry Cake
• 1 ½ cup gooseberries, stems and bottoms removed
• 1 knob of ginger, peeled and chopped
• 4 sprigs of thyme, leaves
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 cups self-rising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
• ¾ cups butter, softened, cut into pats
• 3 large eggs
Vanilla Glaze
• ¾ cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Milk, as needed

Assembly
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Place parchment paper in a 9” springform pan and set aside.
3. In a small saucepan over medium heat add a little water along with gooseberries, ginger, thyme and honey and bring to a boil and then to a simmer.
4. Place in a blender and blend until a puree.
5. Then place in a bowl in the fridge and let cool.
6. Using a medium bowl, sift flour and baking powder and set aside.
7. Using an electric stand mixer with the paddle attachment cream sugar and butter until pale and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.
8. Add eggs one at a time followed by 1/3 of the flour and repeat until there is no more flour.
9. Add in gooseberry puree and incorporate.
10. Spoon mixture into prepared pan spreading evenly and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour.
11. Using a cake tester insert and when it comes out clean and cake is a golden brown remove cake from oven.
12. Let cool for 30 minutes and then release springform and turn onto a large plate.

Please Enjoy

My thoughts
When I tasted the gooseberries I thought to myself how am I going to make these less sour. I looked through my fridge for inspiration as the ginger and thyme popped out at me immediately. The cake has a subtle hint of gooseberry, thyme and ginger. I was pleasantly surprised; but I should know that when I cook on instinct with no real recipe, my best creations occur.