When the clock says it is almost dinner time and I haven’t even formulated a plan about what we should eat yet, I turn to something quick, tried, true, and simple. Although it may sound grand, our British Tea Party menu is a family favorite that I can pull together in about 30 minutes, working quickly. I preheat the oven to 400 F, set a pan of eggs on the stove to hard boil, get the tea things ready, and start the centerpiece of the meal: a batch of scones. Once the scones are done, I set out jam, the cream, and bowls of whole fresh fruit (like grapes, cherries, or apples). Dinner is served! Leftover scones are also delicious for breakfast, so I often double the batch for my large family.
Scones:
I adapted this scone recipe from another recipe I found online for Blackberry Honey-Wheat Cream Scones. If you don’t have whole wheat flour on hand, you can make this recipe using only all purpose flour.
Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
4 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
4 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
3/4 cup milk, half and half, or heavy cream (I use whatever I have on hand)
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 Tbsp honey
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup chocolate chips
3/4 cup Hershey’s Cinnamon chips
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400F. In a food processor, pulse both flours, baking powder, brown sugar and salt. Once it is mixed, add the butter, pulsating until a coarse meal forms. Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl (I use my Kitchenaid mixer). Add the milk, egg, honey, and vanilla, kneading the dough inside the bowl just until it comes together. Add the chips, working the dough just until the chips are incorporated. Form the dough into a large ball with floured hands.
On a floured surface, flatten the dough ball with your hand into a disc one inch thick. Use a biscuit cutter for round scones, or cut the disc into eight triangles. Gather leftover scraps of dough, and form another disc to cut out additional scones. This recipe makes about 8 scones.
Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray (or layer with parchment paper) and bake the scones for 15 – 18 minutes, or until the y are golden brown.
Note: If you don’t have a food processor you can work the butter into the dry ingredients using either your fingertips or with two butter knives, working the knives back and forth in opposite directions until the butter is “cut” into the dough.
Mock Clotted Cream
Traditionally, scones are eaten with clotted cream and jam. Since clotted cream isn’t available in America, we make a mock version. It isn’t a whole lot like the original, but it tastes very yummy and we feel festive and British when eating our scones with cream.
Ingredients:
Cool Whip topping
Sour cream or plain yogurt
Instructions:
Combine equal part Cool Whip topping and Sour Cream. Stir thoroughly to combine. If you want it a little more sweet (or sour), adjust ratio accordingly. I typically use plain yogurt because it is healthier than sour cream.
Molly Evert has been writing and podcasting for Mentoring Moments since 2009. Happily married to David Evert, they have four sons (ages 8 to 16), one daughter (age 2) and they are eagerly expecting another daughter from China, via international adoption. You can also find her writing at CounterCultural Mom, CounterCultural School, and Visionary Womanhood.
Reading God’s Story Schedule today, 2/27/13: Numbers 10-13 & Psalm 90.
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About Molly Evert
Writer Molly Evert is a wife and homeschooling mom to 6 kids, who range in age from 2 to 18. She runs an educational website, My Audio School (http://www.myaudioschool.com), providing access to the best in children's audio literature. She also blogs at CounterCultural Mom (http://www.counterculturalmom.com) and CounterCultural School (http://www.counterculturalschool.com).
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