Castle Marne Award Winning Scones Recipe
- 3-1/2 c. all-purpose flour
- 3/4 c. sugar
- 2-1/2 t. baking powder
- 1/2 t. baking soda
- 3/4 c. butter, softened (do not soften in microwave)
- 3/4 c. currants soaked in liqueur until plump (Hazelnut Liqueur is our favorite. Orange Juice works too)
- 1 c. buttermilk
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, and salt until thoroughly blended.
Using a pastry cutter (cutter is best, but a fork will do) cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse cornmeal.
Drain the liquid and stir in currants. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add buttermilk all at once.
Stir with a fork until the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl. * Gather dough together with your hands into a ball.
Put on a lightly floured board and gently knead in another 1/2 cup flour if necessary to make a firm biscuit dough. Roll or pat into a circle about 1/2-inch thick. Using a small heart-shape or daisy-shape cookie cutter, cut into individual scones.
Place 1-1/2 inches apart on lightly greased baking sheets. If you wish, brush the tops of the scones with buttermilk or cream.
Lightly sprinkle on a mixture of cinnamon and sugar.
Bake for about 20-30 minutes or until the tops are lightly brown and the scones are firm to the touch.
Serve warm with crême fraiche or fresh whipped cream, raspberry butter or lemon curd.
Makes approximately 34 scones
The less you handle the dough the better. Gently press the dough flat with your hands and use the cutter.
Do not knead the dough as if it is bread dough.
Old-time Denverites fondly remember this speciality being served in the Tea Room on the 5th floor of the now defunct Denver Dry Goods Downtown store. When Diane was a child she and her grandmother would get all dressed up and go downtown on the streetcar to shop. They would end up at the Tea Room for their famous entree. Years later when we opened the Castle Marne and started serving tea, she stumbled upon the original recipe and we've included it in our cookbook. Enjoy!
1 cup butter/ hold 2 Tbs aside to cook the chicken
1 1/2 cup flour
8 cups chicken broth
1 cup light cream
1 lb.chicken breasts, skinned and diced
1 red pepper, large, cut into 1/4-inch strips
1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced to be sauteed in butter
Salt and white pepper to taste
Pre-baked puff pastry shells or phyllo dough cups
Melt 2 Tbs. of butter in large saucepan and cook the chicken a few pieces at a time. Put cooked chicken aside. Using the same saucepan, add red pepper and mushrooms, salt and pepper and saute for a few minutes. Remove cooked peppers and mushrooms and put aside. Again, using the same saucepan, melt the remaining butter. After butter is melted whisk in flour, cooking over moderate heat for a few minutes. Gradually add chicken broth, whisking and cooking until thickened. Whisk in light cream. Simmer over low heat about 20 minutes. Stir frequently. Add more chicken broth for desired consistency. Add cooked chicken and pepper/mushroom mixture into the cream sauce and cook over low heat until heated through. Stir frequently. Serve in pastry shells or phillo cups.
Makes 8 servings
6 eggs, slightly beaten
1 1/2 cups milk ( non-dairy almond milk works well too)
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup canola oil
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a blender, blend eggs for 30 seconds. Add milk and blend another 30 seconds. Add flour and blend until smooth. Slowly and carefully dribble canola oil into mixture while blending. This can be very messy. Keep a towel close to keep mixture from splattering the kitchen.
We use individual ramekins, but the traditional way to bake Dutch Babies is in a cast iron skillet. Pour batter into ramekins and put in the hot oven. Bake until puffy and golden brown. Serve immediately with butter, powdered sugar, fruit or syrup. At the Castle Marne B&B we sprinkle the Dutch Baby with powdered sugar and offer guests a choice of two kinds of syrup and warm cherries.
Makes 4 Dutch Babies.
This is a great Brunch item, but the Castle Marne kids eat them at any meal they can. Enjoy!
Almond Muffins:
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk ( non-dairy almond milk is delicious too)
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled (or oil)
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon almond extract
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir together with a fork or whisk to combine ingredients. In another bowl stir together milk, butter or oil, eggs and almond. Add wet ingredients to the dry and blend with a rubber spatula to combine.
Spoon batter into a greased muffin pan. Here at the Castle Marne B&B we sprinkle the tops of the muffins with raw sugar and place a slivered almond on the top. Place in hot oven and bake 18-20 minutes or until golden brown and done to the touch.
This recipe lends itself well to adding fresh or frozen berries and or bananas.
Makes approximately 24 mini muffins.
Apple Nut Muffins: (Here at the Castle Marne these are known as Jim's World Famous Apple Nut Muffins, Jim's one of the owners)
1 1/8 cups canola oil
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
4 slightly beaten eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 Tablespoon baking soda
3 cups flour
2 apples skinned and chopped ( a nice alternative to apples is a cup of craisins)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 375. In a large bowl mix all the ingredients together with an electric mixer. Fold in chopped apples and walnuts with a spatula. Fill greased muffin tins and sprinkle the tops with raw sugar and bake for 18-20 minutes or until done.
Makes approximately 24 mini muffins
This is a dairy free recipe and you only use one mixing bowl. Easy to clean up. Enjoy!