(Ha. I just found this post in my draft file…it’s a little late for a summer scone recipe but maybe not… I know I still have basil leaves on my plants outside and unless I missed it, I don’t think we’ve had our first frost yet so there should still be a bit of good corn out there too. So, maybe this is still relevant! And, you can certainly use frozen corn if you can’t get the good stuff.)
Yup. Another one. I can’t stop, I’m sorry. I kinda feel like I have this gift (or possibly a burden…?) of turning anything into a scone. I even spoke to someone the other day who said that should be the title of something of mine…’Anything into a Scone’ Maybe it will. I like it.
This particular scone celebrates the end of summer and how delightfully sweet the corn is right now. They taste like a sweet corn muffin but with a buttery, crumbly texture. This recipe also highlights the fact that even though I’m Southern, I like my cornbread sweet. The yankee way. My great-great-grandmother just rolled over.
These scones are sweet, but also savory enough to make them eligible for a breakfast treat. I use both cornmeal and fresh pureed corn in the dough before hand folding in whole corn kernels so you get a lovely texture, in addition to the amazing corn flavor. These would also be good with about 1-2 TB of minced, fresh rosemary leaves instead of the basil or even sage if you didn’t have access to the basil. And I do not recommend using dry basil. Ever.
But I do recommend you give these lovelies a try. Enjoy!
*Sweet Corn and Basil Scones
-In your food processor combine the following:
-2 cups all purpose flour (whole wheat pastry flour is a great sub for a higher fiber scone)
-1 cup fine yellow cornmeal
-1 cup sugar
-3/4 tsp kosher salt
-3/4 cup corn or the kernels scraped from 1 medium ear (I recommend frozen over canned if you aren’t using fresh summer corn.)
-Pulse to combine all the ingredients and break down the corn
-Add 1 1/2 sticks very cold, unsalted butter that you’ve diced and pulse again til the butter breaks down.
-With the mixer on, slowly pour some heavy cream, half and half or evaporated whole milk through the spout. You will most likely only need about 1/4-1/3 cup. You want to add just enough liquid to moisten the dough so that when you squeeze it between your fingers, it sticks together.
-Turn the crumbly dough onto a floured surface and, by hand, fold in 1 more cup of corn kernels or 1 large ear’s worth, and a handful of fresh basil leaves that you’ve cut into a chiffonade*.
-Using floured hands, quickly knead the dough until it’s no longer sticky and the new ingredients are well distributed.
-Shape the dough into a flat disk and cut into 8 triangles, as if you were slicing a pie.
-Place each triangle onto a lightly greased cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 375 degree oven on the TOP RACK for 22-27 minutes, or until the tops have turned a golden brown. They will still appear to be ‘creamy’ on the inside and will set as they cool.
-Allow to cool on the cookie sheet until easy to touch and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
-Store in the fridge, airtight, for about 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months, well wrapped. They will also stay good at room temperature for no longer than 2 days before getting stale…but then again, I’m very particular about my scones.
(*I’ve made these with and without basil (the picture shows them without) and when I don’t put the basil in the dough, I just sprinkle it on top as I eat the scone. Either way, it’s delicious!)
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