Drizzled with a rose icing, these scones are a bit more exotic than your everyday scone. If you prefer to serve scones in a more traditional manner, pass lightly whipped cream and rose petal jelly as accompaniments. This recipe first appeared in my book Flowers in the Kitchen (Interweave Press, 1991). MAKES ABOUT 24 DROP 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 cream
• 1 teaspoon rose water
• A good handful of rose petals
• 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
• 1 tablespoon rose jelly or 1 tablespoon red currant jelly mixed with about 1/2 teaspoon rose water
• 2 to 3 teaspoons water
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine dry ingredients in large bowl and blend thoroughly. Cut in butter until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Stir in pistachios.
2. Stir cream with rose water. Rinse rose petals and pat dry. Cut into a chiffonade of about 2 tablespoons. Stir into cream and add liquid to dry ingredients and stir to form a soft dough.
3. Drop dough by the heaping tablespoonful onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake scones for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Prepare icing while scones bake. Combine confectioner’s sugar, jelly and 2 teaspoons water in 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 baking rack to cool slightly before drizzling with icing. These are best served warm, right after baking.
5. If you want to prepare in advance, cool completely without icing and store in an airtight container. Wrap in foil and gently reheat in 325-degree oven for about 10 to 15 minutes. Drizzle icing over warm scones.
Susan Belsinger loves immersing herself in all things herbal and looks forward to researching, growing, cooking and photographing each new Herb of the Year.
To read more about roses, see the International Herb Association’s book, Rose, Herb of the Year 2012, edited by Susan Belsinger. To purchase, visit The International Herb Association website.
Click here for the main article, 2012 Herb of the Year: The Rose (Rosa spp.).
