Summer flavors, fruit baking inspiration, and the best basil scones
In the Pacific Northwest, there is an unspoken pressure to enjoy every summer moment. In just a couple months the temperature will drop, and rain will be on the way. The farmers market in late July and August is the epitome of high summer with sweet berries, cherries, and stone fruit. I block weekend mornings to enjoy the market music, people watching, but it is hard not to pick out so much fruit it is a struggle to carry home. I usually have a plan on the way to the market to focus on one or two fruits, but that quickly goes out the window with the intoxicating perfume of strawberries, or blueberries that are bursting with flavor.
Well, this week was nothing new, and now I have pints of bright-colored gems on the counter brimming with potential. If you are in the same situation, and looking for summer baking inspiration beyond just cobblers, try some of the recipes highlighted below in ‘Sweet Enough’ by Alison Roman and ‘Love is a Pink Cake’ by Claire Ptak. I’ve kept these cookbooks close-by this summer, and they’ve been the perfect fruit-stained summer baking manuals. ‘Sweet Enough,’ (cookbook review here) has great simple and classic bakes like pies, galettes, crumbles, and hand pies. ‘Love is a Pink Cake’ takes classics to another level, often with a unique ingredient or flavor combination.
Strawberries/Raspberries
Simple Fruit Tart p. 25 ‘Sweet Enough’
Raspberry Ricotta Cake p. 118 ‘Sweet Enough’ (tested in the cookbook review here)
Raspberry Loganberry Roulade with Mascarpone p. 199 ‘Love is a Pink Cake’
Blueberries/Blackberries
Black and Blue Hand Pies p. 63 ‘Sweet Enough’
Blackberry and Chili Pepper Pie p. 37 ‘Love is a Pink Cake’
Cherries
Sour Cherry Crumble Pie p. 55 ‘Sweet Enough’
Cherry Clafoutis p. 205 ‘Love is a Pink Cake’
Stone Fruit - Plums, Peaches, Apricots
Plummy Pudding p. 146 ‘Sweet Enough’
Late Summer Peach Tarte Tatin with Peach Leaf Custard p. 69 ‘Love is a Pink Cake’
Apricot-Chamomile and Honey Scones p. 161 ‘Love is a Pink Cake’
If you are in the middle of a heat wave, it’s perfect time to enjoy fresh fruit or freeze on a sheet tray to enjoy summer baking into fall and winter.
While thinking about summer abundance and fleeting flavors, I wanted to share the best basil scones. I’ve never made scones with sour cream, but they were light, moist and just a little flaky. The basil flavor really shines through and is complimented well with a hint of toasty parmesan.
Basil Parmesan and Pine Nut Scones from ‘Love is a Pink Cake,’ steps modified/clarified based on my recipe testing
Makes 12 scones (note: these are English-style scones and are smaller than what we typically see in bakeries in the United States)
400g (2 3/4 cups + 2 Tbsp) flour, plus more for rolling
1 Tbsp sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
180g (3/4 cup + 1 Tbsp) unsalted butter, chilled, cut into cubes
1 egg
200g (3/4 cup + 1 Tbsp) sour cream
100g (3 1/2 ounce) fresh pesto from a deli (or easily homemade if you already have basil and pine nuts)
50g (1/3 cup) pine nuts (adds a good crunch, but optional in my opinion)
Freshly grated Parmesan
1 egg or egg yolk, beaten with 1 Tbsp water
Line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pepper into a bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or food processor until observe small crumbles
Whisk the egg, sour cream, and pesto together and add to the flour mixture. Stir just to combine.
Pat the dough into a cube and place on a lightly floured surface.
Let the dough rest for 5 minutes. Then, flatten to 1 inch (2.5cm) thick with a rolling pin. Scatter the pine nuts over and then fold it in half like you are closing a book so that you have a rectangle. Then fold in half again so you have a small square
Let the dough rest for 7 minutes. Then, roll into a square about 2 inches (5cm) thick if not already the right thickness.
Cut the square into three long pieces. Cut each long piece into two squares and then each square into two triangles. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes (or freeze unbaked to bake another day)
While waiting for the scones to chill, preheat the oven to 400F (200C).
Place the chilled scones on the lined baking sheet and brush the egg and water mixture. Grate each scone with fresh Parmesan and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Scones are best eaten same day.
I hope you all are making the most of this August and the homestretch of summer. I look forward to sharing more about ‘Love is a Pink Cake’ in a cookbook review with you all in a couple weeks.