Baking Day ~ Blueberry Scones and Triple Chocolate Cookies

Today when I was at the grocery store I noticed that blueberries were on sale for less than 1$ a pint. I know they're not the same as wild blueberries but they're just as yummy in blueberry scones! I grabbed a few pints and came home and whipped up a fresh batch of them for with tea or for breakfast. This is an adapted recipe from Martha Stewart and it's so easy they'll be done in minutes. Plus, they just look so delicious on a plate when someone pops in for tea!

EMILY'S BLUEBERRY SCONES

Makes 9 large scones.

Ingredients:

3 c. sifted flour

2 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 c. sugar

1 tsp. salt

3/4 c. softened butter

1 c. buttermilk

1 egg
3/4 c. blueberries
1/4 c. cream

handful of sugar for sprinkling on top

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Sift dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender (or two knives). In a small bowl whisk egg and buttermilk together. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients along with fruit. Drop very large spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet, brush with cream, sprinkle generously with sugar and bake for 15 minutes or until slightly brown.

These are the few little adjustments that I personally make but be sure to try the original recipe out and make the adjustments you feel necessary based on your tastes. Sometimes I use organic flour and cane sugar but I keep the measurements the same. I just find they're not as sweet. Also, I add a tiny bit extra flour because I find this recipe is a bit on the moist side. I use an entire pint of blueberries simply because I don't want a whole package with just a few berries left sitting in my fridge and sometimes, for a bit more flavour, I throw in a handful of chopped white chocolate. Also, I find, as well as quite a few others based on the reviews, the temperature quite high for the cooking time. I lower it to 425 degrees and they seem to be browned just as the 15 minutes are up. Oh, and one more, I promise, I spread the dough out for 10 scones. They're more than generous still and it's one extra for me to sample!

Also, since my husband needed something sweet for work, and, since my oven was already on, I mixed up a batch of these cookies. They're to die for and again, very easy to make with basic ingredients. I throw in a secret ingredient that makes them even more fantastic!

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE COOKIES

Makes about 1 1/2 dozen

Ingredients:

1/4 c. softened butter

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/4 c. sugar

1/4 c. oil

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 c. flour

1/4 c. cocoa

1/4 tsp. salt

1/3 c. chopped chocolate

1/3 c. chocolate chips

2/3 c. chopped pecans

In a medium bowl, mash together butter and sugars. Stir in egg and oil and mix until smooth. Add vanilla. In a small bowl, mix flour, cocoa and salt. Blend dry ingredients into wet and stir in chocolate and nuts. Once combined, drop onto lined pan. Bake at 350 degrees for ~ 12 mins.

I generally use dark chocolate (since it's normally what I have on hand) for the chopped chocolate and semi-sweet for the chips. I find milk chocolate a bit much in this recipe because it's already sweet enough. Also, the cocoa is a big part of this recipe so it's important to use a good quality brand, as with the chocolate and vanilla.

Oh, and my secret ingredient, I sprinkle in a teaspoon of espresso powder to the flour mixture. It makes a huge difference, I think. The coffee compliments the chocolate so well and no one ever can guess what the extra flavour is! Plus, I figure, I like it this much with my latte so why not throw a little latte in the cookie?

Enjoy!