Cherry Bombs (Scones) for Big and Little Kids

Cornmeal-Cherry Scones

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...These scones were named by a young visitor who was in the kitchen, watching, as I made them for breakfast this past weekend. They are shaped liked small balls when they go into the oven and, for whatever reason, the addition of dried cherries made him think of fireworks and cherry bombs. I will be the first to admit these are homely and there appearance might not lure you to the table, but their taste will, and I feel certain that once bitten, they will make return visits to your table. The recipe comes The Cheese Board: Collected Works and it was featured on Food52. I bookmarked the recipe because the scones were simple to make and they could be prepared without the use of an electric mixer or food processor. That makes them a prime candidate for vacation breakfast that have to be prepared in bare bones kitchens. These are really quite good. While the cornmeal adds crunch and some texture to the scones, the addition of dried berries, prevents them from being just another version of cornbread. I happened to have dried cherries in the pantry, so I followed the recipe as it was written, but having tasted them, I think dried blueberries or cranberries would work equally well. The scones are quite short and crumbly, so make sure the kids are sitting at the table to eat them, or you'll spend the remainder of the morning cleaning up their crumbs. If you have an air-tight container the scones will keep for up to three days and still make for pleasant eating. I do hope you'll give this recipe a try. Here is how the scones are made.

Cornmeal-Cherry Scones...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of The Cheese Board: Collective Works via Food52

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup sugar
1-1/2 cups cornmeal (medium grind, but fine is fine too)
1 cup cold unsalted butter (2 sticks), cut into 1-inch pieces
3/4 cup dried sweet cherries
1 cup buttermilk

Directions:
1) Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2) Sift flour, baking soda, and baking powder together in a large bowl. Add salt, sugar, and cornmeal and mix together.
3) Cut butter into flour mixture until it is the size of peas. Mix in cherries, and then make a well in the center and pour in buttermilk. Mix briefly, just until the dough comes together. Mixture will be stiff and a little sticky. (Don't worry about getting every last bit of flour.) Let rest for 5 minutes.
4) Form dough into balls about 2 inches in diameter and place them on the baking sheets a couple of inches apart. Place in the oven and immediately turn down the temperature to 375 degrees F. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through, until scones are golden. Cool on a wire rack. Yield: 14 scones.

                    

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