Scones

Baking. Brrrrr *shiver* The thought of baking gives me chills. Between the yeast, and the baking soda, the sugar, and flour, and measuring, and kneading, and folding - baking isn't cooking, it's a science experiment. And just like high school chemistry class, I usually fail to get the result I'm after. I'm terrible at reading directions. Call it a flaw. In baking it's a fatal flaw. What other division of cooking sells books dedicated to telling you where you went wrong? Why your cake fell. Why your bread didn't rise. Why your cheesecake cracked. Why your cookies are burnt on the outside and raw on the inside.

To heck with it!

But then you get magazines like Fine Cooking's holiday baking issue, and you see all the lovely, tasty morsels you could make. Homemade fruit pies, beautiful cookies, toffee candies, caramel and hot fudge sauces... And you see ads for so many tools and gadgets you *need* to be a successful baker. I already want the over-sized spatula, the Baker's Joy, a digital scale, the micro grater and the Wonder Cup (no, it's not a bra!)

Well, every Christmas season, I resist the urge to go overboard with baking toys because I know, deep down, I'm not a baker at heart. Besides, our moms and grandmothers made fantastic baked breads and goodies with the crappiest of cookware. What's my excuse?

I'm starting out easy. No yeast, no kneading, no special mixing. I've made my second batch of scones, and this time, I didn't forget the butter in the microwave. In fact, I "cut in the butter" - look at me talk baking lingo! I took the basic scone to the next level and chose Fine Cooking's cherry vanilla recipe. Who baby. I think I like scones. Tastes like a sweet biscuit. The cherry vanilla scones could easily be strawberry vanilla, or currant vanilla - or omit the vanilla and use golden raisins with cinnamon, or cranberries.

Cherry Vanilla Scones, from Fine Cooking magazine Winter 2004 issue (yes, 2004...)
Rating: great