Sweet & Easy: Drop Scones Recipe with Rose Petals and Pistachios

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Photo by Dawna Edwards
Simple, homey desserts become sublime with the addition of herbs.

This drop scones recipe is a bit more exotic than your everyday scone; they are drizzled with a rose icing. If you prefer to serve them in a more traditional manner, pass a very lightly whipped cream and rose petal jelly as accompaniments. MAKES ABOUT 2 DOZEN SCONES

• 2 1/4 cups unbleached white flour
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 to 3 pinches cinnamon
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1?3 cup shelled pistachios, lightly toasted and coarsely ground
• 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
• 1 teaspoon rose water
• A good handful of rose petals
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tablespoon rose jelly or 1 tablespoon red currant jelly mixed with about 1 teaspoon rose water
• 2 to 3 teaspoons water

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl and blend thoroughly. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut in butter until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Stir in pistachios.

2. Stir cream together with rose water. Rinse rose petals and pat dry. Cut into a chiffonade (thin ribbon-like shreds); there should be about 2 tablespoons. Stir cut rose petals into cream and add the liquid to the dry ingredients. Stir to form a soft dough.

3. Drop the dough by the heaping tablespoonful onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake scones for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Prepare the icing while the scones are baking. Combine confectioner’s sugar, jelly and 2 teaspoons water in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Add another teaspoon water if icing seems too thick–it will melt a little if the scones are warm.

4. Remove scones to a baking rack to cool slightly before drizzling with icing. They are best served warm, right after baking.

5. If you want to prepare them in advance, cool them completely without icing and store them in an airtight container. Wrap them in foil and gently reheat in a 325-degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes. Drizzle the icing over them while they are warm.


Susan Belsinger is the author of Not Just Desserts: Sweet Herbal Recipes (Paul’s Printing, 2005).

Click here for the main article, Sweet & Easy Desserts with Herbs.

  • Published on Mar 5, 2012
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