Orange Tea Cakes with Hazelnut Butter


1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
4 large eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sour cream or buttermilk
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
grated zest from 1 orange

Preheat oven to 350.

1. Butter two loaf pans generously and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
2. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Add eggs, extracts, and orange zest. In a separate bowl mix together the dry ingredients.
4. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the sour cream or buttermilk to the butter and sugar mixture.
5. Mix until smooth, but do not overbeat.
6. Divide evenly between both pans. Bake at 350 for approximately 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
7. Let cool and wrap in decorative paper and present with the hazelnut butter.


HAZELNUT-HONEY BUTTER

1 cup of hazelnuts
4 ounces of unsalted butter (1 stick)
1/4 cup of honey

Preheat oven to 350

Spread hazelnuts on a baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes. Transfer the nuts to a towel. Wrap them up and set aside to steam for 10 minutes. When cool, rub vigorously with the towel to remove the skins. Transfer the nuts to a food processor and finely grind them. Add the butter and honey and process to blend well. Serve with teacakes.

(Sarah)

Cream Scones

CREAM SCONES – Camie C (Sarah D)

2 c. all-purpose flour
1 T. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. mix ins (see ideas below) - I use #4 below
1 1/4 c. heavy cream, plus more for brushing
turbinado sugar for sprinkling

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a bowl.  Whisk to blend well.  Add the 'mix-ins'.  Stir the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula while pouring in the cream, continuing to stir until a soft, sticky dough is formed.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly (8-10 times).  Pat the dough by hand into a circle 1/2 to 3/4 inches thick.  Cut the circle into 8 wedges and place the wedges and inch or so apart on an ungreased or parchment-lined baking sheet (metal cookie sheet with no sides).  Brush each scone with some cream and sprinkle generously with the raw sugar.  At this point you can freeze the wedges and bake from frozen, or you can bake at this point.  Scones are best when served warm.  Bake at 425 until golden brown and springy to the touch (otherwise they are damp in the center)--about 15 minutes.
Mix-in ideas: nuts, dried fruits, chocolate chips
1-dried tart cherries and golden raisins
2-chocolate chips
3-white chocolate chunks with quartered apricots
4-chocolate chips with dried tart cherries -  my favorite!
5-1/2 c. dried currants and zest of one orange

I hope you like them!