Dark Chocolate-Cherry Almond Scones

I seemed to be on quite the scone kick lately.   These scones are my little shout out to the bakery I used to work at over the summer last year. I made I am sure a few hundred of these over the three short months I worked there. But man oh man they still remain my favorite. I just loved the combination of chocolate, cherry, and almond flavors in this scone. And an excuse to eat chocolate for breakfast..count me in.

I used chocolate chunks, but feel free to use any dark chocolate bar and chop it up into pieces. For my sake, the bag of chocolate chunks was just easier. I also used dried cherries in this recipe. I just love the chewiness that they provide.

After they come out the oven (and if you can stand to wait) let them cool and ice them with an almond icing to really send that almond flavor home.

I usually wash it down with an iced coffee. I recommend you try my d.i.y. iced coffee recipe on this site. Coffee and chocolate? Now that's a good start to any day in my book.

Dark Chocolate-Cherry Almond Scones
Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen Cookbook

2 cups (10 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour, preferably a low-protein brand such as Gold Medal or Pillsbury
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons chilled, unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. almond extract
1 cup heavy cream

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425°F.
2. Place flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in large bowl or work bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade. Whisk together or pulse six times.
3. If making by hand, use two knives, a pastry blender or your fingertips and quickly cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few slightly larger butter lumps. Stir in cherries and chocolate. If using food processor, remove cover and distribute butter evenly over dry ingredients. Cover and pulse 12 times, each pulse lasting 1 second. Add cherries and chocolate and pulse one more time. Transfer dough to large bowl.
4. Stir in heavy cream, vanilla, and almond extract with a rubber spatula or fork until dough begins to form, about 30 seconds.
5. Transfer dough and all dry, floury bits to countertop and knead dough by hand just until it comes together into a rough, sticky ball, 5 to 10 seconds. Form scones by either a) pressing the dough into an 8-inch cake pan, then turning the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, cutting the dough into 8 wedges with either a knife or bench scraper b) patting the dough onto a lightly floured work surface into a 3/4-inch thick circle, cutting pieces with a biscuit cutter, and pressing remaining scraps back into another piece and cutting until dough has been used up.
6. Place rounds or wedges on ungreased baking sheet and bake until scone tops are light brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on wire rack for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
7. Top with almond icing

Almond Icing

1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
4 tsp. milk (or more to reach "drizzable" consistency)
1 tsp. almond extract

Place ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. Drizzle over scones when cooled.

d.i.y. iced coffee

There is something you should know about me. I am not a morning person. Nor am I person who enjoys spending a few dollars each morning on an iced coffee. But because of the former statement, more often I am forced into that latter statement. I do my best to make my coffee each morning, but I am truly an iced coffee fan and making hot coffee each morning (although budget-friendly) not exactly hits my craving. Alas, a solution to my dilemma! This recipe for iced coffee could not be more simple and postively (seriously, try this you won't believe it until its true) the best iced coffee I have had in a very long time. Pure, unadultered iced coffee (ok well with just a splash of cold milk)- but seriously thats it. Skip the cream! Put down the sugar! Hold the syrups! No whip for me please! It is truly that good- this d.i.y iced coffee hits the spot.

This iced coffee recipe is not about putting a bunch of ice cubes in a glass to chill off already brewed iced coffee. Yuck. Have you ever actually done this? It just results in a watered down coffee/water mess. Nor is it about letting coffee sit in your fridge already brewed and cool down on its own. Sure thats a better alternative.

This is about steeping the coffee grounds in water overnight (ok that is the only bummer-having to wait) and letting the true coffee flavor come out.  You fancy coffee people call it "cold-brewed".

Then after 8 hours or overnight, simply strain the coffee (twice is recommended), add ice, enjoy. This method seems to strip away some of coffee's bitterness resulting in one smooth iced coffee.


How you enjoy it is up to you. My method? I use it to wash down one of my dark chocolate-cherry almond scones. Yum.


d.i.y. Iced Coffee
From Smitten Kitchen (originally posted in The New York Times)

Yield: Two drinks

1/3 cup ground coffee (medium-coarse grind is best)
Milk (optional)

1. In a jar, stir together coffee and 1 1/2 cups water. Cover and let rest at room temperature overnight or 12 hours.
2. Strain twice through a coffee filter, a fine-mesh sieve or a sieve lined with cheesecloth. In a tall glass filled with ice, mix equal parts coffee concentrate and water, or to taste. If desired, add milk.

Spaghetti with Shrimp and Braised Kale

Kale is the new black of the vegetable world if you ask me. I have to admit I had not heard of this leafy green until recently. Now its kale this and kale that. And can you blame it? This is one powerhouse of a food.  It can lower your cholesterol, help fend off 5 different kinds of cancer, and is chocked  full of antioxidants and rich (#1 to be exact in all the leafy green veggies) in Vitamin K. If it could just clean my kitchen we would be all set me and kale.  I bought two bunches of this stuff to give kale chips a try (better than potato chips I heard!). Although they were quite delicious, comparing kale chips to potato chips is like comparing my favorite pair of heels to my best worn in sandals. Both are great in their own way and serves a need when I need not exactly a fair comparison.

After I made a batch of kale chips, I still had one bunch left. What to do? I quickly found this recipe on Bon Appetit for spaghetti with braised kale. I changed it slightly by adding sauteed shrimp in with the dish. This dish was everything you would want it to be- quick, healthy, and affordable. Oh and it was delicious. Kale and I are going to get along just fine. 

Spaghetti with Shrimp and Braised Kale

Adapted from Bon Appetit, October 2009

While making this, I don't know if I got "lacinato kale" nor do I personally think it matters. I bought the only kale I saw in my produce aisle and I suggest you do the same! I also seasoned my kale with salt, pepper, and a little red pepper flakes. That is entirely optional. I personally liked the little heat from the red pepper. As for the shrimp, I again have you use your best judgement on the amount you want to add. I used up what I had which was about 5 shrimp per serving. I also added vegetable broth to my kale during the cooking process instead of water to amp up the flavor. Don't have it? Don't bother. Use water as the original recipe intended. 

• 1 pound lacinato kale (about 2 bunches), large center ribs and stems removed, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices (Now I have to admit I don't know if I got the right kind of kale, so use whatever is available in your produce aisle!)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 8 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1/2 pound spaghetti
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• Finely grated Parmesan cheese
• Shrimp, thawed, peeled, and deveined
• Water (or vegetable broth)

Preparation

• Rinse kale. Drain; transfer to bowl with some water still clinging.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes. Add sliced garlic and sprinkle with salt; cook until onion is golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add kale and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss until wilted, about 3 minutes. Cover pot and reduce heat to medium-low. Continue cooking until kale is very tender, stirring occasionally and adding water by teaspoonfuls if dry, about 20 minutes.
  In the same pan push the kale to one side and add your shrimp  to cook. 
• Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in medium pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Add cooked spaghetti to kale and shrimp mixture in pot. Add lemon juice and 2 tablespoons reserved cooking liquid; toss to combine, adding more liquid by tablespoonfuls if dry. Sprinkle spaghetti with grated Parmesan cheese and serve.