LUCY BURDETTE: Before we move on to scones, please know that I now have a gorgeous new website where you can actually find things, a novel concept! Please take a look when you get a chance...
On one of our first days in Scotland two summer ago (and oh my gosh that seems like a lifetime ago and another universe,) we explored the little town of Melrose. John and I got separated for a bit--either I had lingered in the graveyard, or more likely, found a ladies' room!
And he came back from his walk with the most delicious scone I’ve ever eaten, purchased from a small bakery nearby. (Actually, it was only part of a small scone, because he'd inhaled the rest of it.) I did not get a photo but I’ve been craving a repeat of that scone ever since. We remember it as a banana date combination and that’s what I tried to re-create for you here. Scones, of course, loom large in the next Key West mystery, A Scone of Contention...
Ingredients
1 5/8 cup flour
1/6 cup brown sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
Three-quarter teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/8 cup cold unsalted butter
1/3 cup sour cream (could also be whole milk plain yogurt)
1 teaspoon vanilla
One ripe banana
1/2 cup chopped dates
Mix all the dry ingredients up through the salt together. Cut in the cold butter until it’s the size of small peas.
Mash the banana well and stir in the sour cream and vanilla. Mix well. Add the dates and mix those in. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry.
Shape the dough into a circle on a floured surface. Flatten the circle and cut it into six pieces.
Bake this at 425 for 10 to 12 minutes. I left it in for 10 and it could have used one or two more.
Serve with more butter and jam if you like.
Banana Date Scones
Ingredients
1 5/8 cup flour
1/6 cup brown sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
Three-quarter teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/8 cup cold unsalted butter
1/3 cup sour cream (could also be whole milk plain yogurt)
1 teaspoon vanilla
One ripe banana
1/2 cup chopped dates
Mix all the dry ingredients up through the salt together. Cut in the cold butter until it’s the size of small peas.
Mash the banana well and stir in the sour cream and vanilla. Mix well. Add the dates and mix those in. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry.
Shape the dough into a circle on a floured surface. Flatten the circle and cut it into six pieces.
Bake this at 425 for 10 to 12 minutes. I left it in for 10 and it could have used one or two more.
Serve with more butter and jam if you like.Can you tell I'm getting ready for Scotland again, with A SCONE OF CONTENTION?? Coming August 10 from Crooked Lane Books...
Winners from this week's guests (yay!): Bookbuddy is the winner of Nancy Herkness's book The Agent. Contact her at nancyherkness at gmail dot com.
From Terrie Moran: Barbara Schlichting won the Mystery In The Midlands link. Kait Carson won the book. Contact her at tfmoran at yahoo dot com!
Oh, yum . . . those scones look delicious! Thanks for sharing the recipe . . . I can’t wait to try them . . . .
ReplyDeleteYour new website is just lovely, Lucy . . . very nice indeed.
thanks on both counts Joan! I'm tempted to make another batch today...
DeleteDelish, Roberta! It looks like you used whole wheat flour - yes?
ReplyDeleteThe web site is perfect and welcoming.
No, regular flour. I think the brown sugar made them look darker. Thanks for the feedback on the website!
DeleteYou had me at banana. And dates. And sour cream. And scones. And butter and jam.
ReplyDeleteI'm wishing for one this morning. It might help me work...
DeleteI love your new website Roberta and pre-ordered your book months ago, along with Jenn's which drops the same day. I will try the scones but you know, it's strawberry season, so...your strawberry cake beckons;-)
ReplyDeletethanks so much Judy--I love sharing a book birthday with Jenn! It is strawberry season, though ours have finished in the garden. But I've never had a strawberry scone...
DeleteCongrats on the new website. It's great. I wandered into it before I went to sleep last night, must pay a longer visit.
ReplyDeleteI've tried every scone recipe in the free world, and even though I can bake anything else, these never come out tasting like I think they should. Wonder of wonders, I have all the ingredients for the banana date ones, but the banana isn't ripe enough yet. Maybe later next week ...
Happy 4th to all who celebrate -- that's a joke -- and I hope all the pandemic puppies will survive the fireworks without trauma. That's not a joke. Ours seem to be immune, and we hear them every night. Or is that gunfire? Three women shot last night. It's a long hot summer here in the murder capital.
Ann, at least you have been able to taste yours. Mine have been complete fails. ;)
DeleteI hope this recipe turns out for you Ann! We heard our first fireworks last night. Lottie seemed a little worried, but not bad. But then she threw up all over the white rug at 4 am. Delayed reaction??
DeleteLucy, great new website! Visited yesterday from the newsletter link!
ReplyDeleteLovely scones, my mouth waters, wish I knew a local bakery. My attempts (over the years) at baking my own result in curling stones not tasty scones.
Cheers for the weekend, all.
Hey Elizabeth, I make the same curling stones. Wonder if there's a market for them? Cast the first scone?
DeleteCurling stones, I love that! I'm going to include the Scone Sisters from book 11 in book 13 too--I hope I remember to use this turn of phrase!
DeleteThanks Ann & Lucy. You gave me a big smile.
DeleteI'm so thrilled to have one Terrie's book! Thank you so much.
ReplyDeleteLucy, your new website is fabulous. I knew I had baking in my future today - now I know what I'm going to bake - no dates, have to replace them with blueberries - should work, right?
Note to self - caffeinate, then write - I am thrilled to have WON Terrie's book.
DeleteI think that should work, though berries would be more wet than dates. so watch for that!
DeleteEnded up with dried cranberries. It was yummy!
DeleteThe new website is delicious! Love the Karen Beauprie painting on the first page. Perfection.
ReplyDeletethanks Karen!
DeleteThat looks amazing! I’m always up for a tour of Scotland or a scone and can’t wait for your latest!
ReplyDeleteAnd everyone should put August 18 on the calendar for a virtual event through Murder on the Beach--with both me and JENN!
DeleteThe web site is gorgeous! I think I'd have loved this recipe when I could still have bananas, many of the WW recipes used banana for sweet richness. My own recent favorite was orange-cranberry, though the cinnamon date you've pictured looks very tempting, almost as delicious as SCONE OF CONTENTION . . . wishing we could give extra-credit over and above the 5 stars. <3
ReplyDeleteOh thank you Mary, you're too kind:)
DeleteLucy, thank you! I think I have everything for the recipe except for the dates. Oh well. I have tofutti sour cream which is dairy free. Yay!
ReplyDeleteLoved Scotland and loved your book so much that I preordered.
Diana
thanks so much Diana!!
DeleteGorgeous website, Lucy. I love the colour palette.
ReplyDeleteDelicious-sounding scone recipe, but it is way too hot here today for baking...another time. It's going up to 35C/95F; no AC in this house,
Oh Amanda, I can see why you don't want to bake! In CT it's 62 and raining!
DeleteSend that rain this way, Lucy. We are in a drought and desperately need rain...
DeleteChecked out your new website the other day and it's a winner! Love the Key West pastels.
ReplyDeletethanks Pat!
DeleteRecipe looks awesome. Love the picture with the butter on top!!
ReplyDeleteoh yes, butter makes everything better:). didn't Julia Child say that?
DeleteThese look fabulous, Lucy! I applaud the modernization of scones - when I was in school in London, every scone I tried was very dense, dry and left a lingering trace of baking powder in my mouth. As a support system for mounds of jam and whipped cream, they were great, as a pastry, they were a bust.
ReplyDeleteBut nowadays, scones are made with fruit and raisins and honey and all sorts of delicious things, and they're lovely to eat without any additions if you chose!
Looks good. I have everything but the dates and sour cream.
ReplyDeleteYum! And looking forward to reading about my fave Key West folks in another locale.
ReplyDeleteYour web site is beautiful! I can’t wait to make your scones, never had banana with dates so that should be yummy. I’m looking forward to your book in August and I’m sure I’ll be inspired to plan a trip there myself, thank you!
ReplyDelete