The "Barnes and Noble" Scone

The topic of my first official baking class was "Quick Breads."

Quick breads are basically breads that do not use yeast for rise: Banana Bread, Muffins, Pancakes, yes, pancakes (this one surprised me!)

I signed up to make Morning Glory Muffins because it was the only muffin on the list I didn't recognize and Chocolate Cranberry Cherry Scones.

I was nice enough to bring Charlie a sample

 I. Hate. Scones.

They are dry, useless bricks. If given one I would use it as a doorstop or weapon before I would eat it.

If I were a skunk I would have defensively sprayed the room at the thought of making scones.

However, I hoped the irritation of making this thing that I hate would be lessened by using chocolate.

To make the muffins we used the Muffin Method. That's a shock, huh?

Muffin Method in a Nutshell:
You add all the wet ingredients together in one bowl. You sift all the dry ingredients together in another bowl. Then add the wet to the dry and fold together until just combined.

If you mix until everything is incorporated, you've over mixed your batter.

Then get them in the muffin pan and in to a preheated oven lighting fast. If you let this batter rest they won't rise because the reaction you want from the baking soda will happen on the counter instead of in the oven.

Let's just say now that if I had to get up and make these Morning Glory muffins for breakfast my morning wouldn't be so glorious.

this is what a muffin top should look like...still laughing

I had to shred carrots and apples.  And measure out raisins, shredded coconut, and walnuts. Time consuming.

Simple method? Yes. Simple muffin? Hell to the No!

Oh, and I learned all you lovers of giant muffin tops (ha ha...anybody?) are eating crappy muffins. Proper muffins don't have domes. They should have a fairly flat uneven surface.

On to the scones and the Biscuit Method...

Biscuit Method in a Nutshell:
Add and sift all dry ingredients in one bowl. Mix all wet ingredients in another bowl. Cut butter in to dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients until just combined. Turn out on counter and "fold knead" no more than 5 times. Shape and cut. Freeze for 20 minutes. Then bake until G.B.D. and done in the center.

one-eyed scone monster

I followed the recipe except I used dried cherries because I couldn't find the dried cranberries. Whatevs.

And, after all that work, according to Chef  I made a "Barnes and Noble Scone" because mine rose tall and had more of a muffin-like consistency inside instead of the sawdust consistency I know and hate.

The dry scone is referred to as the British Scone.

While I might have liked the scone I made a little, not even the addition of chocolate could change my mind.

However, a classmate did make a Cream Scone that I really did like. Hmmm....