british

Bready or Not Original: Berry Scones

Posted by on Feb 21, 2024 in Blog, Bready or Not, breakfast, british, chocolate | 0 comments

These Berry Scones are a delicious way to use fresh or frozen fruit to create a batch of baked goods for breakfast.

Bready or Not: Berry Scones

I love scones but I hadn’t made this recipe in over 10 years. Arizona is not a good place to get locally grown fresh fruit like strawberries and raspberries. Soon after we moved to Minnesota, fresh strawberries came into season AND I won a gallon-sized bag of frozen raspberries in my first horticultural club meeting.

Bready or Not: Berry Scones

I needed ways to utilize my new bounty. I reworked this old recipe, reducing the fruit amount and adding white chocolate chips. That extra sweet kick really elevates the fruit!

Bready or Not: Berry Scones

Bready or Not Original: Berry Scones

These Berry Scones are a perfect breakfast, delicious at room temperature or warmed in the microwave. They can be frozen after baking, making this is a convenient make-ahead recipe. Don’t thaw the fruit if it’s frozen or it’ll be mushy and juicy. Use only fresh or frozen fruit.
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: British
Keyword: chocolate, raspberries, scones, strawberries
Author: Beth Cato

Equipment

  • cookie sheet or scone pan
  • nonstick spray

Ingredients

Scones:

  • 1/2 cup strawberries or raspberries (fresh or frozen) about 3oz
  • 3 Tablespoons white sugar separated
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2/3 cup milk or almond milk
  • 1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Topping:

  • 1 Tablespoon coarse or white sugar optional

Instructions

  • Preheat oven at 400 degrees. Lightly grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper, or use a scone pan.
  • Use kitchen shears or a knife to cut the fruit into bite-sized pieces. Sprinkle fruit with 1/2 tablespoon sugar; set aside to macerate.
  • Combine remaining sugar with flour, baking powder and salt. Add butter, using a pastry cutter or a fork to cut it in. Don’t completely mix in butter, but leave some pea-sized pieces throughout. Stir in milk. Fold in the white chocolate chips followed by the berries.
  • Flour hands to coat. Gently knead and turn the dough to incorporate the dry bits from the bottom of the bowl. Sprinkle dough with extra flour if it’s too sticky to work with.
  • If using a cookie sheet for baking, pat the dough into a circle 3/4 inch thick. If any berries peek out, push them into dough. Cut circle into 6-8 wedges (or smaller), then transfer wedges to the cookie sheet, leaving at least 1/2 inch of space between them; they will spread. Alternatively, press handfuls of dough into a scone pan, filling each empty space to the end to create even pieces. Sprinkle the tops with coarse or white sugar, if desired.
  • Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until the tops are beginning to brown. Remove them from pan. Scones can be eaten immediately, or will keep in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Freeze them to enjoy later.

OM NOM NOM!

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    Bready or Not: Cherry-Almond Bakewell Tart

    Posted by on Jan 31, 2024 in Blog, Bready or Not, breakfast, british, cake, nutty | 0 comments

    Bakewell Tarts are classic British pastries. This version, modified from Bake from Scratch Magazine, uses store-bought preserves (I used Bonne Maman) with everything else from scratch.

    Bready or Not: Cherry-Almond Bakewell Tart

    If you’re in America, you’re not likely to find a Bakewell Tart unless you’re near a big city bakery; as for me, I’ve never found it for sale in the US, and I’d probably scream in delight if I came across it. I made a pointed effort to get slices more than once during my 2019 trip to the UK.

    Bready or Not: Cherry-Almond Bakewell Tart

    Not gonna lie, this is a dessert that takes some work. The pâte sucrée, the crust, can be done ahead of time, and that helps to space out the labor. The filling, which is a frangipane, needs to not only be mixed, but piped into the crust to help it form a consistent layer.

    Bready or Not: Cherry-Almond Bakewell Tart

    And of course, at the end, the tart needs a nice sweet drizzle that looks gorgeous and amps up the flavor, too. This is really the ultimate special occasion breakfast or dessert.

    Bready or Not: Cherry-Almond Bakewell Tart

    There are two recipes included here: the pâte sucrée and the full assemblage of the Bakewell Tart.

    Bready or Not: Pâte Sucrée

    Pâte Sucrée is a pastry crust that can be used for a Bakewell Tart and other desserts. It needs to chill in the fridge for at least an hour. This makes one 9-inch crust. Recipe modified from Bake from Scratch July/August 2023.
    Author: Beth Cato

    Ingredients

    • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) softened
    • 1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
    • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1 large egg room temperature
    • 2 cups all-purpose flour

    Instructions

    • In a stand mixer or by hand. beat together butter, sugar, and salt until they are pale and creamy. Add the egg. Gradually beat in the flour until just combined, scraping the bottom of the bowl a few times.
    • Shape the dough into a flat disk and encase in plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for an least an hour, but overnight is preferred. Dough can be refrigerated for up to a week or can be frozen for up to 2 months. If frozen, thaw in fridge before using.

    Bready or Not: Cherry-Almond Bakewell Tart

    A Bakewell Tart is a classic British dessert. This is a time-consuming recipe, but the result is an absolute show-stopper. Modified from Bake from Scratch July/August 2023.
    Course: Breakfast, Dessert
    Cuisine: British
    Keyword: almond, cherries
    Author: Beth Cato

    Equipment

    • Rolling Pin
    • parchment paper
    • 9-inch tart pan with removable plate
    • pie weights
    • pastry brush
    • pastry bag or freezer quart bag
    • uneven spatula

    Ingredients

    Tart

    • 1 pâte sucrée
    • 1 large egg white lightly beaten
    • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) room temperature
    • 1/2 cup white sugar
    • 2 large eggs room temperature
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
    • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
    • 1 cup almond flour sifted to remove clumps
    • 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
    • 3/4 cup cherry preserves

    Topping

    • 1/4 cup sliced almonds
    • 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
    • 1 Tablespoon milk or half & half

    Instructions

    Form the crust

    • If the pâte sucrée is quite firm from chilling, let it set at room temperature for about 20 minutes to make it more pliable. Use a rolling pin to roll it into a 12-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick.
    • Remove the base of the tart pan and trace the shape onto parchment paper. Cut paper to fit in bottom of pan and apply baking spray. Carefully transfer dough to pan, but if it falls apart, that’s okay–press it into an even layer across the bottom of the pan and up the fluted sides. Use a knife to cut excess dough from the top edge. Use a fork to dock the bottom of the pan, stabbing it here and there across the whole surface. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.

    Bake the crust

    • Preheat oven at 325-degrees.
    • Top the dough with a large piece of parchment paper, with ends extending over the sides. Add pie weights to fill the basin.
    • Bake the crust for about 15 minutes. Carefully lift with the parchment and weights, setting on another pan to cool. Brush the bottom of the pan with the egg white. Continue baking for another 15 minutes; the base should look dry with the dough lightly browned. Set aside to cool completely as the filling is made. Increase oven temperature to 350-degrees.

    Make the frangipane

    • Beat the butter and white sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape the bottom of the bowl a few times to make sure everything is mixed. Add eggs, one at a time, followed by vanilla, salt, and almond extract. Scrape bottom and sides of bowl. Gradually mix in both flours until just combined.
    • Spoon frangipane into a pastry bag or a freezer quart bag. Cut off the tip.
    • Use an uneven spatula to spread the cherry preserves over the bottom crust. Pipe the frangipane over the preserves. Use a clean uneven spatula to smooth it into an even layer. Sprinkle sliced almonds on top.
    • Bake until frangipane is set and golden, about 30 minutes. Let cool about 20 minutes before removing the outer ring of the pan. Let tart cool completely on rack.

    Add drizzle

    • In a small bowl, stir together confectioners’ sugar and milk. Spoon into a pastry bag or freezer quart bag and snip off a tiny corner. Pipe glaze back and forth over tart. Let glaze set, about 20 minutes, then dig in. Store wrapped up or in sealed container in fridge for up to 4 days.

    OM NOM NOM!

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      Bready or Not: Cornish Fairings Cookies

      Posted by on Aug 2, 2023 in Blog, Bready or Not, british, cookies | Comments Off on Bready or Not: Cornish Fairings Cookies

      Cornish Fairings Cookies (to use the American wording, as these would be Corning Fairings Biscuits at their point of origin in Cornwall) are light, delicious cookies that use golden syrup for flavor and sweetness.

      Bready or Not: Cornish Fairings Cookies

      Golden Syrup is a delicious ingredient out of the UK. Some recipes call for using a half and half mix of light corn syrup and honey to replace it in American recipes, but I’ve found that’s not a good replacement for the flavor. If you’re in the US, look for Lyle’s Golden Syrup in the British section of a grocery store or at World Market.

      Bready or Not: Cornish Fairings Cookies

      Ginger gives these cookies a pleasant warming element, but I should note that these aren’t heavy like most gingerbreads. This is something different, light and chewy.

      Bready or Not: Cornish Fairings Cookies

      Do note that I found these cookies got stiffer in texture after a day, but they were still delicious.

      Adapted from Bigger Bolder Baking by Gemma Stafford.

      Bready or Not: Cornish Fairings Cookies

      This recipe, adapted from Bigger Bolder Baking by Gemma Stafford, uses the British ingredient golden syrup to make a uniquely sweet, lightly spiced cookie.
      Course: Dessert, Snack
      Cuisine: British
      Keyword: cookies, golden syrup
      Servings: 33 cookies
      Author: Beth Cato

      Equipment

      • parchment paper
      • baking sheet
      • food processor
      • teaspoon scoop

      Ingredients

      • 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 stick
      • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
      • 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
      • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
      • 2 teaspoons baking powder
      • 1 teaspoon baking soda
      • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
      • 1/2 teaspoon salt
      • 6 Tablespoons golden syrup

      Instructions

      • Preheat oven to 400-degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
      • Using a food processor, dice up butter. Add flour, brown sugar, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, and pulse to mix, scraping the blades clean as needed. Add golden syrup and pulse to incorporate.
      • Use a teaspoon scoop to dole out dough, spaced out, on parchment paper. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes, until cookies are set and crackled across the top. Cool on sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a rack to completely cool. Store in an airtight container at room temperature; they will get stiffer in texture after a day, but the flavor is still wonderful.

      OM NOM NOM!

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        Bready or Not: Crunchy Biscuits

        Posted by on Jul 12, 2023 in Blog, Bready or Not, breakfast, british, cookies | Comments Off on Bready or Not: Crunchy Biscuits

        These are Crunchy Biscuits in the British sense–that is, they are crunchy cookies with a satisfying snap.

        Bready or Not: Crunchy Biscuits

        I found the recipe in Bigger Bolder Baking by Gemma Stafford [affiliate link], a book gifted to me by my mother-in-law. Gemma is Irish-born and now lives in America, and her fantastic cookbook has ingredients and cooking temperatures in both British and American measurements.

        Bready or Not: Crunchy Biscuits

        This small-batch recipe includes a quintessentially British ingredient, golden syrup, that has no real American parallel. I’ve seen some recommendations to substitute with half measures of light corn syrup and honey, and while that works as a liquid replacement, the flavor isn’t quite the same.

        Bready or Not: Crunchy Biscuits

        That said, golden syrup isn’t hard to find in America, it just tends to be expensive. Even in the wastelands of Phoenix, I could find Lyle’s Golden Syrup in the small British goods section of my local Fry’s (Kroger) chain.

        Bready or Not: Crunchy Biscuits

        These crunchy, hearty cookies are great for a snack or even a breakfast. Oats reign supreme here, but the golden syrup adds a unique, slight flavor that carries through every bite. If you don’t have self-rising flour, substitute with 1 cup of all-purpose flour and two teaspoons of baking powder. Modified from Bigger Bolder Baking by Gemma Stafford.
        Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
        Servings: 30 cookies
        Author: Beth Cato

        Equipment

        • parchment paper
        • baking sheet
        • tablespoon scoop
        • cooling rack

        Ingredients

        • 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) softened
        • 3/4 cup white sugar
        • 3 Tablespoons golden syrup
        • 1 cup self-rising flour
        • 2 2/3 cup rolled oats also called old fashioned oats
        • 1 teaspoon baking soda
        • 1/4 teaspoon salt

        Instructions

        • Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
        • In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until it is soft and light in color. Add golden syrup. Follow up with the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt, mixing until just combined.
        • Use a tablespoon scoop to shape dough, rolling each lump briefly with hands to compress and flatten, then place spaced out two-inches apart on baking sheet. They will spread as they bake.
        • Bake 12 to 14 minutes, until golden brown and set. Let them idle on the cookie sheet about 5 to 10 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature.

        OM NOM NOM!

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          Bready or Not: Golden Syrup Brownies

          Posted by on May 17, 2023 in Blog, Bready or Not, british, brownies, chocolate, fudge | Comments Off on Bready or Not: Golden Syrup Brownies

          I’ve made a lot of brownies that I’ve shared here on Bready or Not, but these Golden Syrup Brownies are the fudgiest I’ve ever made.

          Bready or Not: Golden Syrup Brownies

          Seriously, they are good but they are dense and rich. I highly recommend cutting these things small, just as one does with fudge.

          Bready or Not: Golden Syrup Brownies

          Golden Syrup and coarse sugar are what set these brownies apart. I used Lyle’s Golden Syrup, the original version, imported from the UK. Sometimes you’ll see honey and light corn syrup mentioned as American substitutes; if you want to go that route, split them half and half, but it still won’t be the same as Lyle’s.

          Bready or Not: Golden Syrup Brownies

          As for the coarse sugar, the original recipe printed in Bake from Scratch called for unrefined light muscovado, but I used a mix of demerara and turbinado. Hence my general recommendation for coarse sugar.

          This recipe will keep for weeks in the fridge, have you the fortitude!

          Bready or Not: Golden Syrup Brownies

          These super-fudgy brownies use golden syrup, which is a British ingredient. I recommend Lyle’s Original Golden Syrup, which can be found in the import section of many American grocery stores. Note that these brownies need to chill for hours or overnight before eating. Modified from Bake from Scratch Magazine Sept/Oct 2019.
          Course: Dessert, Snack
          Cuisine: British
          Keyword: bars, brownies, chocolate, fudge
          Author: Beth Cato

          Equipment

          • 9×9 pan
          • aluminum foil
          • nonstick spray
          • fine mesh sieve

          Ingredients

          • 1 1/2 cups plus 2 teaspoons coarse sugar such as turbinado and demerara
          • 14 Tablespoons unsalted butter
          • 4 Tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons golden syrup
          • 1 1/4 cups dark chocolate chopped or in chips
          • 6 large eggs room temperature
          • 2/3 cups plus 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

          Instructions

          • Preheat oven at 325-degrees. Line a 9-inch square pan with foil and apply nonstick spray.
          • In a large saucepan, heat the coarse sugar, butter, and golden syrup over medium heat until the mixture is smooth and bubbly, around 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and add the chocolate. Stir until everything is melted. Let cool for a bit.
          • In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs. Strain them through a fine mesh sieve into the batter. Stir everything to incorporate. Add flour, stirring until no white streaks remain. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Tap it on the counter a few times to knock bubbles free and level the batter.
          • Bake until brownies are set with the center still moist, about 45 minutes. It’s okay if they look slightly underdone. Let pan cool to room temperature. Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.
          • Use foil to lift contents onto a cutting board. Use a large knife to cut brownies into small squares. If the brownies stick to the knife, wipe it clean after each pass and dip the blade in hot water before each cut. Store brownies in a sealed container in the fridge for up to two weeks, or freeze for longer.

          OM NOM NOM!

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            Bready or Not Original: Cookie Butter Shortbread

            Posted by on Jul 20, 2022 in biscoff spread, Blog, Bready or Not, breakfast, british, chocolate, cookies | Comments Off on Bready or Not Original: Cookie Butter Shortbread

            The Cookie Butter Shortbread is a new riff on my classic Shortbread recipe that I’ve also made with espresso powder and chocolate chips–and also with an infusion of lemon and a glaze. It’s a versatile base recipe.

            Bready or Not Original: Cookie Butter Shortbread

            Now, I bet some of you are asking–what is cookie butter? It’s essentially pureed spice cookies with oil, forming a spreadable consistency just like peanut butter. You can find it in stores by the nut butter; Trader Joe’s carries it under the name Speculoos. What cookie butter does is make cookies taste more… cookie. You’ll know what I mean when you try it.

            Bready or Not Original: Cookie Butter Shortbread

            This is not a crisp shortbread like the traditional Walker’s brand (which is delicious in its own right). No, this shortbread is cakey and soft, only crisp at the very edge.

            Bready or Not Original: Cookie Butter Shortbread

            Sometimes the first piece out of the pan can even be fussy and break in half; a metal pie spatula helps, but sometimes it can still happen. That’s no major problem, though, because of every bite of Shortbread is good, even if it’s not perfectly photogenic.

            Bready or Not Original: Cookie Butter Shortbread

            Enjoy this Cookie Butter Shortbread for breakfast or snacks, or in proper fashion at tea time.

            Bready or Not Original: Cookie Butter Shortbread

            This new twist on my classic Shortbread mixes cookie butter and chocolate chips into the dough! These are cookies with an extra oomph of cookie flavor.
            Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
            Cuisine: British, Scottish
            Keyword: chocolate, cookie butter, cookies, shortbread
            Author: Beth Cato

            Equipment

            • 2 pie plates

            Ingredients

            • 2 cups all-purpose flour
            • 3/4 cup white sugar
            • 1/4 teaspoon salt
            • 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks, softened
            • 1 egg yolk
            • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
            • 1/4 cup creamy cookie butter
            • 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

            Instructions

            • Preheat oven at 375-degrees. Apply nonstick spray to both pie plates.
            • Stir together the flour, sugar, and salt. Add butter, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and cookie butter. Use hands to compress dough together. Add the chocolate chips and mix, bringing dough together again to form a ball. Divide in half, placing one in each pie plate. Flatten dough with palms to create an even surface. Prick surface all over with a fork then use a knife to slash dough into triangular wedges.
            • Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until edges are golden brown and middle is set. Remove from oven and cut again along slash marks. Let shortbread cool completely, then cut again along existing marks.
            • Shortbread keeps for several days at room temperature. It can be stored covered in pie plates, or stacked in a sealed container with wax paper between the layers.

            OM NOM NOM!

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