Raisin Scone recipie

Here is my famous Raisin Scone recipe.

Ingedients:
4 cups of unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup of sugar
1 1/2 cups of buttermilk
2/3 cup of cold unsalted butter (diced)
4 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1 cup of raisins

1 egg for glazing

Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together into a large mixing bowl. Add sugar. Add butter into the flour mix. Blend the butter into the flour using fingers or pastry blender. The mix should resemble like a course mixture. Stir in raisins. Create a well in the centre of the bowl and add buttermilk. (more might be needed if mix is dry). Stir with a mixing spoon until it all comes together.

Preheat oven to 450 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or butter it.

Place dough on a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (about 5 mins). Please make sure not to over knead as the dough will become hard

Roll the dough into a 12 inch circle with a rolling pin. Using a scone cutter, cut the dough and place each scone onto the baking sheet.

Crack open the egg and beat.

Brush each scone with egg wash. Place sheet in the oven for 10 to 15 mins. Bake until golden brown.

This will yield about 2 dozen small scones. Make sure to place the baking sheet on the middle rack to ensure even cooking.

Sunday morning Coffee Hour

Sunday April 19, 2009. The first Sunday after Easter or Low Sunday. It was my turn to host coffee hour after morning worship Services at my home church of Little Trinity. (www.littletrinity.on.ca)

I had been away for a while and it was good to be back. To celebrate this occasion, I baked three kinds of breakfast breads.

Raisin Scones. These are a classic staple whenever I host Coffee hour. Made with buttermilk, butter, flour, raisins and a hint of sugar, they are always popular. Rich in flavour, but yet fluffy.

The French sure know how to make bread. Brioche is a rich bread made with lots of butter and eggs and a hint of pure vanilla. This bread is shaped into small buns. Each one contains half and ounce of semi sweet chocolate in the centre. This is a very delectable treat.

Cinnamon Buns are also another favourite of mine. I like to be generous with the butter and brown sugar filling. When these come out of the oven, I like to flip them over and serve them as Sticky Buns. All the gooey caramel that sticks to your fingers.

Happy Easter

Happy Easter to All!!! Every year I like to bake special breads that symbolize this most important feast day in the Christian church. This year, I decided to bake two different items. A traditional egg bread or Pascha with a flavourful twist.


This rich egg bread, contains fragrant spice mix of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, fresh squeezed orange juice and the rind, orange blossom water and pure Madagascar bourbon vanilla. The braided pattern represents the Trinity.

I baked Hot Cross Buns. These sweet buns are an Easter tradition from England. The cross on top symbolizes the cross that Christ died on. This bread contains the same delicious spice mix as the Orange Egg Bread. This was my first attempt.

Both breads symbolize Jesus Christ. When the yeast, which is dry and dormant is dissolved in the milk, it bubbles, and shows life again. Like God breathing new life into us.

The process of making bread requires the dough to rise three times. The last rise represents the Resurrection. The fragrant spiced air that fills the kitchen reminds us of the tomb in which he lay.

Orange Egg Bread Recipe
Yields 2 small loaves
Ingredients:
1/2 cup of unsalted butter (softened)
1/2 cup of sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons of yeast
4-5 cups of bread flour (all purpose may be used)
juice of one orange and its zest
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon of cloves
1 tablespoon of orange blossom water
3 eggs

Egg Wash
1 egg
1 tablespoon pf milk or water

Heat milk to 115 F. Pour in a large bowl and add yeast. Allow the yeast to dissolve, (approximately 10 mins). Add 2 cups of flour, salt and spices. Stir until combined. Add eggs, butter, liquid flavourings. Add the remaining flour a bit at a time, until the dough ball forms.

Turn the dough onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (3-5 mins). Shape the dough into a round ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover the lid with saran wrap and cover with a moistened tea towel. Allow the dough to rise until doubled (aprox 45 mins to 1 hour). The bowl should rest in a warm place.

When the dough has doubled in volume, punch it down. Divide the dough into to equal pieces. With each piece, divide into three. Roll each piece into a log shape 12 inches long.

Bring all three logs into a lined baking sheet and braid them into your desired shape. Repeat the same process with the other dough half.

Cover the loaves with a moistened towel and allow it to rise again for 45 mins to 1 hour. The volume should double in size.

Preheat the oven to 350F 15 mins before baking. Brush the loaves generously with egg wash. Bake for 20 to 30 mins, until golden brown.

Lemon Bundt Cake

My signature cake!! A great one for all occasions. This is my lemon bundt cake in the shape of a Cathedral. This is my favourite cake pan. I've had this pan for a few years. It took me a while to find a store that carried it.

I do not make it very often. I like to call it the AA cake. There offer a 12 steps to recovery program. There are about 12 steps in my recipe. A labourious task, but a great looking and tasting product.

This will wow anyone, especially your guests.

Decadent Chocolate Cake

This cake is so rich and dense. All chocolate, butter and bit of flour and tons of richness. I learned how to make this on my last day of Art of Cakes.