Cherry Almond Scones

Scones are always a nice addition to a breakfast or brunch. These scones are made with frozen pitted cherries that are thawed and drained. This was easier then removing the pits from fresh cherries. I added almond extract to the mix to give the scones a rich almond flavor and I sprinkled some turbinado sugar on top of the dough to give the scones a little extra sweet taste.


Ingredients:

2 cups plus 1 tablespoon flour, divided
1/2 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cubed
1 cup cherries, thawed, halved and drained
2/3 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Topping:

2 tablespoons low-fat buttermilk
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar
1 tablespoon sliced almonds

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Sprinkle cubed butter over flour mixture and use a pastry cutter to cut in evenly until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Place cherries between layers of paper towels and press gently to remove moisture. In a small bowl, combine cherries and 1 tablespoon flour, toss with a fork to coat.
Add cherry mixture to flour mixture, folding in gently.
In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg and almond extract, add to flour mixture and fold in just until moist.

Use a spatula to scrape dough out onto prepared baking sheet, lightly flour hands and pat dough into an 8-inch circle.
With a long sharp knife, score dough into 8 wedges. Put 2 tablespoons of buttermilk in a small bowl and with a pastry brush, spread all over top of dough. Sprinkle dough with turbinado sugar and sliced almonds.

Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until golden. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet, then transfer to wire rack to cool before slicing into wedges.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and warm before serving. Enjoy!

Yields: 8 scones

Healthy Apple Crisp

 

 

 

 

I was hungry for an apple crisp. So, I had two Fuji apples that I put together a recipe to help out that sweet tooth without being sorry that I ate something sweet and this did the trick! The aroma of the cinnamon and honey in the apple crisp baking in the oven made the whole house smell like the holidays and the taste of the topping and apples together was delicious.

 

Ingredients:

 

 

Filling:

 

2 large Fuji apples, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons honey

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon cornstarch

 

Topping:

 

1 cup oats (quick or old-fashioned)

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon canola oil

3 tablespoons honey

 

Directions:

 

For the filling:

In a medium bowl, mix together apples, lemon juice, cinnamon and honey. In a small bowl, mix water and cornstarch and mix into apple mixture.

Pour the apple mixture into two small 4 1/2 inch pie dishes.

 

For the topping:

In a medium bowl, combine oats, salt, cinnamon.

In a small bowl, combine vanilla, oil, and honey. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry. The mixture will be crumbly. 

Sprinkle the topping over the apple mixture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bake lightly covered with foil at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, until apples are soft and topping golden brown. Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 





Strawberry Tart

Spring is such a beautiful season with all the colorful flowers blooming and the fresh spring vegetables and fruits. One of my favorite fruits are strawberries with their sweet taste and bright red color. This is a perfect time for a strawberry tart made with Mascarpone cheese, which is an Italian cream cheese. This cheese has a slight richer and luscious taste to it then regular cream cheese. The tart recipe is easy and only has 3 parts to it. Here goes:

Crust

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons honey

Filling

8 ounces Mascarpone, at room temperature
2 tablespoons low-fat milk, room temperature
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon zest

Topping

2 cups strawberries, hulled and halved
1 1/2 tablespoon honey


Directions

For the crust, preheat oven to 350 degrees F and spray a 9-inch removable-bottom tart pan with nonstick spray.  In a small bowl, whisk together flours, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to beat butter, and sugars at medium speed until light and fluffy, then beat in honey. Reduce speed to low and beat in flour mixture just until combined.

Use a piece of parchment paper to press dough evenly in the bottom and up the sides of prepared tart pan, then prick dough all over with a fork. Bake for 16 minutes, until crust is golden. Cool completely on wire rack.

For the filling, in a food processor combine Mascarpone, milk, honey, vanilla, and lemon zest and process until fluffy.

To assemble tart, spoon filling into cooled tart shell and spread into an even layer with an offset spatula. Arrange strawberries over filling in a decorative pattern. Place honey in a small bowl and heat in the microwave until melted, about 10 seconds. Use a pastry brush to brush glaze over strawberries. Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours before serving. Enjoy!

Yield - 8 servings