NEKLS Scones & Blueberry Crumb Buns

The Scones and Blueberry Crumb Buns served at our Copyright Workshop were a hit. Here are the recipes for those who requested them.

Blueberry Crumb Buns (Adapted from The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook)

Crumb topping:

1 cup flour

2/3 c. sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled butter

Buns

1 3/4 c. flour

1 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

8-oz package of cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1/4 c. whole milk

1 t. vanilla

1 1/2 c. fresh blueberries, lightly coated with flour

Preheat oven to 325. Grease and lightly flour 18 jumbo muffin cups. Prepare crumb topping and chill until ready to use. Cream the cream cheese and butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix dry ingredients together and add alternately with milk and vanilla just until blended.Stir in blueberries (gently!) by hand. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups and sprinkle with topping. Bake about 20 to 25 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. [Optional: drizzle with a bit of icing while still warm.] Let cool in pan about 30 minutes. Loosen sides with knife and remove.

NEKLS Scones

1 1/2 cup flour

3/4 cup whole wheat flour or oat flour

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 t. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, chilled and cut into 1/2-in. cubes

(optional: 1/2 cup to 1 cup of chopped dried fruit and/or nuts)

3/4 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 400 and lightly grease baking sheets. Mix dry ingredients together. Add butter and rub in lightly with fingertips until uniformly crumbly. Toss in optional fruit and nuts. Add buttermilk and stir just to moisten. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto baking sheet and bake 10 – 15 minutes until tops are lightly browned. Cool on rack.

Notes: 1) These can be glazed or drizzled with a thin powdered sugar icing, as they do at The Barn. 2) Fresh berries can be added instead of (or along with) dried fruit and nuts. Toss berries in flour before adding and, if juicy, cut back a bit on the buttermilk. 3) Try substituting mashed banana or applesauce for some of the buttermilk. 4) For a savory version, omit sugar (or cut back to 1 T.). Grated sharp cheeses, herbs, minced onion, and crumbled bacon are all good additions. These make good scrambled egg sandwiches.