My husband turned a handsome and much loved 39 last week. When I asked him what scones he wanted for his birthday breakfast, he didn’t hesitate: he wanted matcha chocolate chip scones, and only matcha chocolate chip scones.
I had no idea when I baked matcha scones for the first time that they’d turn out to be his all-time favourite flavour. After all, he’s never been much of a matcha ninja like me — at least not self-confessed. But was I ever pleasantly surprised and happy that my BFF was just as excited as I was.
Since I bake matcha scones regularly, for my husband’s birthday I added sprinkles to the scones to give them a joyful touch. I even named them the “Bruno’s birthday” scone — a signature look and flavour in honour of my love’s birthday. They turned out so delicious and super cute and fun. He ate three in one go right after they popped out of the oven!
Scones weren’t the only nom noms that my husband had requested for his birthday. He’d also requested a red velvet cheesecake. I’ve baked cheesecakes before, but never have I baked anything red velvet, so I felt quite intimidated.
“Gods of gluttony, please guide my poor soul!” I prayed.
Clueless as I was about how to deliver this cake — I’m very well-versed in eating it, though — since my love requested it, I knew I had to deliver his birthday wish and put a smile on his face.
The sprinkles bled a little when I put the cake in the fridge overnight, but the swirls they created reminded me of the galaxy.
There were so many variations of red velvet cheesecake scattering the internet that I didn’t know which one to choose. I ended up going with a recipe that was tailored for mini cheesecakes, and had many burning questions tickling my tired brain in the midst of baking.
“Do I bake it in the oven for twice as long since I’m baking a whole cake? Is the red velvet portion supposed to be soft and cake-y, or dense and fudgy?” I had no idea; I was just going to wing it.
In the end, the cake turned out a wee over-baked but successful overall. I’d never baked with cocoa or used food colouring, or even thought about attempting anything red velvet, so I was quite happy.
Note to my husband: I’m sorry, my love, the day turned out less than ideal. But for what it’s worth, I hope you enjoyed the sweet treats, our son’s delighted joy, and know that you are so loved and appreciated. Happy birthday many times over.
Last night was mama’s night. Little One fell asleep early — go figure, he hadn’t napped much at all throughout the day — and I had the chance to relax to my heart’s content. It was a warm and summery starry night and I had wine on the balcony, kissed by fairy lights all around me. Then came my test of commitment when my eyelids began to tremble at 10PM — to bake scones or not to bake! And bake I did, while watching Paul Hollywood’s “City Bakes.”
The scones were one big fruit explosion. They were a heavenly mix of strawberries, raspberries, cherries, and pomegranate — and chocolate chips! The only caveat was that I added too much fruit.Because the fruits were frozen and I added plenty, a lot of moisture escaped into the dough, thereby deforming the shape of the scones and making them more soft than usual.
Taste wise, I don’t know what it was this time around, but the dough tasted better than ever. I also appreciated taking mouthfuls of fruit at every bite. It was light and summery, and tangy and sweet at the same time, especially with the chocolate chips to balance the flavour. Scrumptious.
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt (I added less salt because I used salted butter)
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup salted butter (I only had salted on hand, and a few chunks were missing)*
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Too much frozen fruit
All the chocolate chips in the world
*A little rabbit had stolen some butter for toast one morning. She’ll be forever unnamed.
Baking scones is my new drug and all-time high. I’ve been on a baking spree ever since I baked them for the first time just last week. These PB chocolate chip scones are my 5th bake! Baking scones is such a joyous experience for me that it would be madness not to bake them, especially now that Keaton is one and I’m beginning to have some snippets of time in the night.
This special request was by my husband. He’d specifically sniffed out PB and milk chocolate chips on our trip to Bulk Barn, to concoct his signature scone — and he’s proud of it, too. We both are. These scones are scrumptious — calling all PB lovers! While it was tempting to keep devouring them, we had to put a break on our bellies. Tomorrow and the following mornings are young; we’re in good company for breakfast.
My energy was zapped tonight, and I had a choice between relaxing on the couch and watching a movie with my husband — and, as always, praying to the Little Lord that he gives us a break for the night — or baking. While the former felt like the more fitting choice for my mood and energy level, I decided to bake scones instead; and in doing so is where I happily found my energy and zest. Hubs hasn’t seen me this excited in a long while, and neither have I. And it feels darn good.
I feel a sense of pride and accomplishment in doing something as simple as baking recently. Finding something to do and creating time to accomplish it — be it baking, writing, or reading — in the midst of motherhood and a pandemic is crucial for me, as it gives me a sense of achievement and purpose. I’m starting to feel more in alignment again with who I am, and that’s when I know I’m headed in the right direction. I’m doing right by myself, aren’t I? I’m happy with that.
I love, love matcha desserts. Matcha and scones — it’s a seductive combination that’s almost unearthly. This sexy culture that’s glorified in today’s society — forget it, nothing tempts me. I’m only foaming at the mouth if I see matcha scones. They just do this thing, argh. How does one even write about it? Help, I’m clogged for words.
I’ve only had a few matcha scones in my life thus far, but I do have my reserved all-time favourite. Funnily, while I’m not vegan, my favourite matcha scones are actually from Little Jo Berry’s in Ottawa, an all-vegan bakery that’s very much loved by locals. When I lived there, I’d often order half a dozen scones for my parents and I. All her scones are witty and clever, but it was the matcha that tickled my taste buds into pure bliss.
When I moved to Montreal in 2017, I stopped at a matcha teahouse on the first day. I’d scoured the internet for the best matcha scones in the city and braved the cold March weather to find solace for my tired soul. But when I saw their matcha scones in the display case, they looked sad — like they’d had a bad day. And I knew. After the first bite, I felt disappointed, but more so, saddened. Their matcha scone was sadly stale and lacking in flavour, which was unfortunate, because reviews were raving.
Today, and years later, I baked matcha scones myself. It was my first time baking them, and if it’s not too much to say, they were the best matcha scones I’ve ever eaten. They were actually the best scones I’ve had the pleasure of devouring. I’m partial because I’m weak in the knees for matcha; nevertheless, how these scones turned out on all levels was pure heaven.
I wasn’t shy when it came to adding matcha powder. I wanted my scones to be green, green; I wanted to smell the matcha and to taste it at first bite. Heck, I wanted to eat matcha! There was no other way. I added spoonfuls of matcha like my life depended on it.
I needn’t say more. I’m just in a coma of disbelief. I cracked the code. I baked my ideal scone. I’ve accomplished my life’s purpose. I’m at peace.
As soon as my petit chou fell asleep, off to the kitchen I went for some much needed ‘me-time’ and moment of creativity. Cheers, mamas, to late night bakings when our little ones are nestled in a slumber.
I’ve been on a scone-baking kick lately, and last night I baked maple cinnamon scone goodies! I love, love maple scones; they’re absolutely magical. Yet even if they were definitely on my list of upcoming flavours to bake, I did feel a bit skeptical and worried about how they’d turn out. I knew that baking with maple is tricky and that there was a possibility of the scones tasting rather maple-less and more cinnamon-y.
I was proven wrong by these scones. To my surprise, they turned out divine. I could taste and feel the ethereal yet grounded relationship between the maple and cinnamon — their relationship was believable and heartfelt. And tasty! The maple was light and unassuming, yet passionate and mighty in its presence; meanwhile, the cinnamon played the role of the wise old sage.
Texture wise, on the inside it looked and felt more like a quick bread than a scone itself. Since it was my third time baking scones — I don’t have much experience and am a newbie at this — I’d attribute its quick bread-like identity to the eggs.
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup maple syrup (I used almost double that amount!)
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 eggs
For the glaze, I used icing sugar, vanilla extract, heavy cream, and maple syrup.
A little mouse started picking at a certain scone… we shall not name who.
My husband adored my first batch of scones so much — I myself wasn’t that big of a fan — that he requested an ingredient for the next batch: chocolate chips. For him, it wasn’t just the excitement of delicious scones baked with his chosen ingredient, but it was more so the excitement that I was baking them for him. Thus he scurried to the grocery store and grabbed his pack of chocolate chips without further ado; and when he arrived home, my heart melted. It just warmed my heart how he never ceases to find joy in the little details.
Every time I opened the pantry, I’d lock eyes with his pack of chocolate chips that were sweetly awaiting me, so I knew: I couldn’t wait long. Just a few days later, I ended up baking banana chocolate chip scones. They were so, so scrumptious. I must say I’m quite proud of myself, especially since I wasn’t too crazy about my lemon blueberry ones — the first scones I’d ever baked. I was surprised because I thought the chocolate chips would make for too sweet of a scone, but they were pretty subtle — they actually added a bit of a salty touch, too. The royal affair between the delicate but sweet banana notes and the sweet yet salty chocolate chips was pure heaven.
Since bananas are wet and runny, I was also a bit worried about them defeating the inherent shape of the scones — the bananas did amend the shape a little — but overall, the scones held quite well after being baked. Something simple I could’ve done while moulding the dough, though, was add some flour to subdue the stickiness. Yet after all is said and done, it was a lovely success.
There are two scones left for tomorrow morning’s breakfast, and writing about them is making my mouth water already. Oh, I can’t wait for morning to arrive. Scones with a wee bit of butter and a hot cuppa coffee in the morning — and hopefully a cooperative 1-year-old — that’s living life on the sexy lane.
Ingredients
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt (I accidentally put 1 tsp and slyly scooped some out, oopsie)
Please refer to that website for detailed instructions.
If I can remember with vivid detail, the only tweak I made was that after grating the refrigerated butter, I popped it in the freezer for 15 minutes before mixing it in. After adding the butter, I also chilled the mixture while I worked on the wet ingredients. Lastly, there’s something else that I did differently: I didn’t let the scones cool down. The mouse was me. I popped right in and stole a hot scone and nibbled away!
Scones are my favourite breakfast-brunch-tea-time treats. A spring morning with a divine scone in hand and some clotted cream or Devonshire cream and jam on the side, and a nice cuppa coffee — that’s my happy place.
When I think of scones, I think of my youth — I think of Ottawa and my university days, and my best friends and the fond memories we shared. And it makes me both happy and sad. Happy, because I smile thinking back on when my friends and I would meet for scones on weekends, or sometimes between lectures, at our favourite local shops, and just chat about nothings and everythings. Those were the promising days of youth and sweet liberties. Equally, I feel just as sad thinking back on those moments because I really miss my youth and my friends from the past.
I may be partial, but now that I live in Montreal — and am a cranky window meerkat as a result — my soul lives in deprivation, because frankly, scones here are meh. “I don’t know what people are raving about,” I tell my husband. “It’s nothing like The Scone Witch in Ottawa.” Yet even if my husband would often reassure me that we’ll be going to Ottawa soon, and that scones are on the next horizon, I give him full reign to give me his quirky eye roll, because I’ve hammered it in way too often, and I’m sure he’s going deaf by the minute.
Nevertheless, I found my interim solace in a neighbourhood cheese shop that also sells pastries and scones. It’s a cute-as-a-button shop and a neighbourhood gem, and their scones tend to sell out fast. But shhh, we shan’t say more of it — we shall keep it secret. Even if their scones are unlike the ones I grew up with in Ottawa, they still fill my heart with joy because they’re quite scrumptious. Moreover, in a quarantine where visiting family and friends is prohibited — when life is depressing and hard enough — there’s something uplifting about the simple act of grabbing a treat at a local shop.
I must admit, what was at first a treat, became a real addiction. There was a time in the past when my husband would walk to the shop to grab us some scones as soon as it opened at 9 AM, or times when we’d pass by and drop in to see if they had any left for the day. Those days were long gone. Now, it’s become religion for us to call ahead of time so that they can put some aside for us. How’s life in quarantine and lockdown, you might ask? Just scones. My body, mind, and soul is one big scone.
Since I started making scones part of my almost-daily sexy breakfast regime, and it was getting increasingly costly to buy them, I decided to try baking them myself. I’d intended to bake them ages ago since I was a little shrimp, yet somehow, the occasion kept escaping me; or, rather, I kept making excuses as to why they’d be complicated, when in reality, they’re ever so simple to bake. Now that I finally baked them, I can proudly say that I’ve had my closure in life.
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons white sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup frozen blueberries, plus some!
Directions
Pre-heat oven to 400 F.
Put flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest in a large bowl and whisk. Grate the cold butter and put it in the flour mixture, and mix with your fingers until the mixture becomes a bread crumb texture. Put it in the fridge while you prepare the wet mixture.
In a small bowl, whisk the cream, egg, and vanilla extract. Pour the mix into the dry mix. Add the blueberries. Knead the dough into a ball and then spread it over the counter into a flat circle. Cut into 8 pieces. Place them on a lined baking sheet and in the fridge for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, put the scones in the oven for about 22-25 minutes, until the edges are a golden brown.
I’m so happy I finally baked scones after all the years I intended to try baking them myself. It’s even more of a success story since aesthetically they turned out pretty cute, especially for a first-timer. The texture was also agreeable, like the ones we’d buy in store. Yet while my husband thought they tasted fine — the lemon zest giving them some sass — for me there was a slight floral note that I wasn’t a big fan of. From the frozen blueberries? The lemon zest itself? Or the intermingling of the baking powder? It was all unclear to me.
Nevertheless, I was quite fond of the colour — the soft rippling hues of blue coming from the blueberries. I actually learned after the fact that I could’ve coated the frozen blueberries with some flour, to lessen the bleeding. While it was neat to learn, I found them pleasing just as they were. As for the shapes, I promise, it’s not what it seems: I’m not that clumsy at cutting equal pieces. I swear, I was just in a rush between baking the scones, cooking salmon for my family, and vacuuming the sofa — all in one shot!
There’s much for me to learn and practice when it comes to baking scones. They might look and be simple to bake, but there’s much precision and passion involved in birthing their very essence. This is only the beginning, and I’m already excited to learn the map to their soul. There’s something satisfying about being your own boss baker, and baking scones at your heart’s whims rather than buying them in store. It’s quite romantic. I look forward to baking more, and to trying different flavours and combinations. My husband and I’m sure my 1-year-old son, will be some happy taste-testers.
The battle of blue vanilla scones vs strawberry cheesecake buns
Blue vanilla scones for two
Matcha scones — the biggest scones I ever did meet
A visit to Ottawa, Little Jo Berry’s, March/April 2017
No matter where I am in the world — even after relocating to a different city — I always seem to find my way back to my hometown in Ottawa, to Little Jo Berry’s for Jo’s scrumptious vegan treats. Because maybe, just maybe, home is where the tummy is.
I’d mentioned Jo’s before — everything she bakes at her vegan bakery is sprinkled with funk, dedication, and passion. And while I’m not vegan myself, time and time again I’d somersault a mile for her scones, especially my beloved matcha, and, just recently, the blue vanilla, as she makes the most divine scones in the world — so much so, that I’d choose them over their non-vegan counterparts any day. (I’ve eaten a great many scones in my time; in fact, I’ve become a walking scone with four limbs.) They’re melt-in-your-mouth soft, with a moist crumble on the inside and the ideal level of sweetness.
When living in Ottawa, it was tradition for me to pre-order scones from Jo, enjoy one on site with a cuppa coffee on the morning of pick-up, and then bring the box home to my family. Little moments like these — bringing treats home to loved ones and sharing laughs with my favourite local baristas — have long been associated with feelings of home for me. That’s why, returning to my happy places — my long-time sacred nests of fond memories and solace — when visiting Ottawa, and recreating such moments, is always a heartwarming feat.
**
Being back at Little Jo Berry’s recently, where eternal friendships were birthed, and seeing M — stunning as always in her casual yet sleek and sophisticated outfit, fit for a powerful feminine woman of the modern era — and her bright blue, oceanic eyes and warm smile that can set any room ablaze, and seeing Jo — her unicorn hair, a sassy palette of dancing shades of blue, pink, and purple — and hearing her roaring lioness laughter, meant that I was once again at my happy place.
As with any other day I find myself back in Ottawa, and at the same old memorable places, I knew and understood: Nothing in life was promising, yet there was the heart’s forever-companion, named Trust, that would always stand at the same street corner, under the same moon, waiting patiently for one’s return. That was home.
toumemoir 