This summer is looking berry delicious

A Pinch of Salt

By Donna Marie Riani

Hello summer my old friend and hello strawberry season. These ruby beauties are making an appearance in grocery stores and farmers markets everywhere. Oregon has several different varieties of strawberries that are ready for picking from May to July, with some varieties showing up earlier in the season and some later. Albion is one variety that isn’t quite as plump as other varieties. It is more slender in shape and has the distinction of being firm and sweet. The Charm variety is very sweet and plump and then there is the very popular Hood variety that is deeply red and deeply sweet like candy. These are just a few of the many varieties that make Oregon a berry paradise.

There are so many ways to enjoy strawberries. Dipping them into some freshly whipped lightly sweetened cream is heaven on a summer day. Chop them up and add them to a batch of waffles, pancakes or crepes or add them to a yogurt parfait and you have a delicious, quintessentially summer breakfast.

Back in my bakery days, we would get a rush of people early in the morning coming in to get a cup of coffee and a breakfast treat on their way to work or school. Hands down, our number one seller was our scones. We made amazing cinnamon rolls and muffins also, but there is something so unique about a scone. It isn’t overly sweet and it’s very portable.

I’ve been fortunate enough to have three different jobs where I was able to teach people how to bake. It always surprised me how many people wanted to learn how to make scones even though they aren’t necessarily social-media sexy or exciting, not like cinnamon rolls or a loaf of sourdough bread. Making scones only takes a handful of ingredients but they can be tricky to learn how to make properly. The key is to not overwork the dough. The more you handle the dough, the tougher it will be.

This recipe is not a traditional British scone, it is very American. The recipe has more moisture than a typical scone and that is my personal preference. If you follow the directions, and I promise you they are not difficult, I guarantee you a platter of Oregon strawberry scones worthy of any breakfast table.

Strawberry Scones

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup white sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

10 tablespoons cold butter

1 cup heavy cream plus 1 tablespoon to brush on the dough

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup fresh strawberries, tops removed and roughly chopped

Vanilla Drizzle

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 to 3 teaspoons water

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk well to combine.

Remove the cold butter from the fridge and grate it using the large holes of a box grater. If you don’t have a grater with large holes, you can cut the butter into 1/4 inch cubes with a sharp knife. Using the box grater is quicker and easier, but either will get the job done.

Take the grated butter and add it to the bowl of dry ingredients. Using a fork, gently mix in the butter being careful not to smash the mixture down in the bowl. You want to keep the mixture light and fluffy. You just want to make sure the butter pieces are coated in the flour mixture.

Add the heavy cream and vanilla. Using a rubber spatula stir the liquid into the butter/flour mixture until you see a dough forming, then gently mix in the strawberries. Don’t worry if there are still a few dry bits in the bowl. Remember, the enemy of scones is over mixing.

Place a large sheet of plastic wrap on the table and place the dough on it. Be sure to add any dry bits that are left in the bowl. Fold up the plastic wrap over the dough and press on it to form the dough into a one-inch-thick disc.

Place the wrapped dough in the fridge to chill for 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Remove the dough disc from the plastic wrap and slice into eight even wedges. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tablespoon of heavy cream over the dough. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, rotating the pan after 10 minutes. The scones should be lightly golden when done.

While they are cooling, you can mix together the vanilla drizzle.

Using a spoon, drizzle the glaze over the cooled scones.

They will be at their best the day they are baked.