Awesome (But Not Quite Magical) Cheddar-Sage Scones

I had a dream.... yes, a dream

I dreamed that someone gave me a scone. Now I know that doesn't sound very exciting. It it really shouldn't be, I don't even particularly like scones, but this one was different. 

This one was the most amazing scone I have ever tasted! It was buttery and flaky and just melted in my mouth. It was perfect.

The person who gave it to me asked if I wanted the recipe and I, of course, said yes!

Just as I was being handed the recipe, I woke up. I was devastated! I tried to go back to sleep, but couldn't. Visions of that perfect scone have haunted me ever since...

Months later, I was reading A Study in Darkness (The Baskerville Affair #2) by Emma Jane Holloway (read my review of the book here), I came across this passage

So that's what it took to make the best scones ever; MAGIC!

But where was I ever going to find baking magic? Only in my dreams...

but also in books!

Introducing Brownies and Broomsticks (A Magical Bakery Mystery #1) by Bailey Cates.

Why yes, this is a book about baking magic! And not only that, it confirmed my suspicions about magical scones! YAY!

This is one of those great books that not only is fun to read (see my review of the book here), but has recipes in it. And you better believe that it has the scone recipe in it! So, of course, I had to try it out

Cheddar-Sage Scones

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 tsbs baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp dried sage

6 tbsp butter, cut into 1-inch pieces and chilled in the freezer for 15 minutes

2/3 cup of cheddar cheese, grated

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 400'

Set aside 1/4 cup of flour in a small bowl. In a medium bowl combine 2 cups of flour, baking powder, salt and sage.

Add chilled butter and cut into flour by rubbing with your fingers or using a pastry blender until the consistency of rough cornmeal.

Add the grated cheddar to the 1/4 cup of flour and toss to coat.

 Shake to remove excess flour and add to pastry mixture, tossing with your hands to evenly distribute the cheese.

Whisk together egg and milk. Add to flour mixture, stirring lightly with a fork until ingredients are moistened and just hold together.

Trasfer ti a lightly floured surface and knead twenty times. Add more flour to the surface if needed. Pat into an 8-inch circle, slightly higher in the center than on the edges.

Using a very sharp knife, cut eight equal wedges. Place scones on baking sheet lined with parchment paper, slightly apart from one another.

Bake for 12-14 minutes until golden brown.

Although these scones were delicious, they were not magical. I will have to work on that for next time. Until then, I'm off to look for more magical scone recipes.

Funfetti Cake Batter Cookie Dough Brownie Layer Cupcakes

I'm always looking for a reason to create something sweet and wonderful.

An upcoming team building meeting, a gathering of friends and a birthday was the perfect excuse to try something that I had been meaning to make for awhile.

 

Funfetti Cake Batter Cookie Dough Brownie Layer Cupcakes

 

 

yup, that's a mouthful to say, so let me try to explain what this masterpiece is. It's funfetti cake batter mixed into cookie dough, sandwiched between layers of brownie and then topped with chocolate icing. In other words, melt in your mouth amazing! This recipe, brought to you by Life, Love & Sugar, is suppose to be made as a cake. Well, I'd much rather have cupcakes, so I modified it a bit.

Brownies

1 1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 cups sugar
3 tsp vanilla extract
6 eggs
1 1/2 cup flour
1 cup cocoa
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Line the bottoms of cupcake pans with parchment paper and grease the sides. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix together the oil, sugar and vanilla extract. Add eggs and mix until well combined.
Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt.
Slowly add dry ingredients to the egg mixture until well combined.
Pour the batter evenly into the three pans and spread evenly.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs.

 

Remove brownies from oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes in the pan, then remove to cool on wire rack. While brownies cool, make cookie dough.

 

 

 

Cookie Dough

1 1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
two 15.25 oz boxes funfetti dry cake mix
1 1/3 cups flour
3-4 tbsp milk
4-5 tsp sprinkles
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
3/4 cup chocolate chips

 

 Cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
Mix in vanilla extract.
With the mixer on low speed, add one entire box of dry cake mix, plus 1 1/2 cups from a second box of cake mix and mix until combined. 

 

Add 1 cup flour and mix until combined. Add milk and up to an additional 1/3 cup of flour to preferred thickness.

 

 

Stir in sprinkles and chocolate chips. Dough will be thick. Set aside.

 

 

Since we're doing cupcakes instead of cake, cut the brownies in half horizontally and place in cupcake liners.

 

 

Take a handful of cookie dough and mould into a round, flattened ball and place on top of brownie half. Once finished, replace the tops of the brownies on top of the cookie dough.

 

 

Chocolate Frosting

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup shortening
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1 tbsp water or milk
sprinkles, for topping, if desired

 

 

Beat the shortening and butter together until smooth.
Slowly add the powdered sugar and cocoa and mix until smooth.
Add water or milk and mix until smooth.

 

Pipe icing onto the top of the cupcakes. Top with sprinkles.

 

 

Don't they look divine?

 

Everyone who had these wished that I had made more of them. Even I wished I had. These are quite time consuming, but totally worth making.