Blueberry scones, served with Sticky Finger Bakery’s delicious Huckleberry-Raspberry jam.
|
KAREN HOCHMAN is Editorial Director of THE NIBBLE.
|
November 2007
Updated April 2008
|
|
Easy English Scone Mixes
Gourmet Scones From Sticky Fingers Bakeries
CAPSULE REPORT: We’re not too keen on most scones—they’re dry, crumbly and leaden. But Sticky Fingers Bakeries has pulled off a minor miracle, with a line of English scone mixes that are moist, flavorful and ready to eat in less than 30 minutes from start to finish. All you do is add water, stir and drop the dough onto a baking pan. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes and serve warm to appreciative family and guests. Three days later, kept in a zip-sealed bag, they were still moist and tasty! In addition to the regular line that we tried (12 flavors), there’s a separate line that’s kosher-certified by the Orthodox Union (6 flavors). The line is all natural: no preservatives, no trans fats, no saturated fats and no cholesterol. The kosher line was developed for natural food stores and has no refined granulated white sugars.
Overview
For us, scones always held more promise of romance than delivered on it. We were hesitant to even try the five scone mixes that arrived from Sticky Fingers Bakeries. Boy, were we wrong! Not only were they the easiest things we’ve baked all year—they were among the best scones we’ve ever had.
First, an overview of scones. Scones are traditionally connected with Scotland, Ireland and England; they may well have originated in Scotland, but there are other claims, and the true origin will likely never be known. Learn more in our full history of the scone.
Scones are related to the ancient Welsh tradition of cooking small round yeast cakes (leavened breads) on bakestones, and later on griddles. Originally, scones were made with oats, shaped into a large round, scored into wedges and griddle-baked over a fire. Today’s scones are generally made with flour and baked in the oven—both in the traditional wedge and in rounds, squares and diamond shapes. If neatness counts, they are not one of the prettier breads. Even though they are shaped into neat wedges, once placed into the oven, they spread and pucker at will—just like uniform balls of chocolate chip cookie dough do their own thing. When baked, no two look exactly alike.
|
Bake up all six Sticky Fingers scone varieties for afternoon tea—it’s easy. |
Lemon Ginger, one of the 12 flavors in the
Premium English Scone Mix line. Product photography by Dhanraj Emanuel. |
Flavors
We tasted five of the twelve regular flavors in the line and particularly liked the Lemon Ginger, only because in our book, one can’t get enough crystallized ginger. It’s the same dough throughout; the choice of mix-ins is up to you.
Premium English scone Mixes
There are a dozen flavors in the regular line—surely, something for everyone: Apple Cinnamon, Black Currant, California Apricot, Cocoa-Chocolate Chip, Cranberry, Lemon Ginger, Lemon Poppyseed, Original, Pumpkin-Cranberry, Raspberry, Tart Cherry and Wild Blueberry.
Kosher-Certified Scone Mixes
The kosher recipe was developed for the natural food industry, and contains no refined granulated white sugar. The flavors are Apple Spice, Classic, Cranberry, Lemon Poppyseed, Raisin and Wildberry.
|
Serving Suggestions
It is so simple to whip up a batch of delicious scones that, after you make them for the first time, you’ll look for opportunities to invite people over, just to show off your baking.
Serve your fresh-baked scones at:
- Breakfast and brunch
- Afternoon tea
- A hot snack in winter (serve them to the kids with hot chocolate)
- Dessert, as a shortcake (see photo at right).
If you’re a weekend guest, bring a few bags to your hostess and offer to bake hot scones for breakfast. You’ll be very popular. |
Make an easy strawberry shortcake with the Original scone mix. |
Sticky Fingers Bakeries also makes jams and curds to go with the scones. The Huckleberry Raspberry jam we had was outstanding, an unusual flavor combination done very well. The Wild Blueberry jam was tasty, but too runny, we thought, for scones (we loved it on pancakes and in yogurt). Our Lemon Curd was strangely off—a production problem that was disappointing, because we love lemon curd.
But when life hands you lemons, buy lots of scone mix and make everyone you know a little bit happier. To some, happiness is a warm puppy, to others it’s a warm scone.
STICKY FINGERS BAKERIES SCONES
REGULAR: Apple Cinnamon, Black Currant, California
Apricot, Cocoa-Chocolate Chip,
Cranberry, Lemon Ginger,
Lemon Poppyseed, Original,
Pumpkin-Cranberry, Raspberry,
Tart Cherry and Wild Blueberry
KOSHER: Apple Spice, Classic,
Cranberry, Lemon Poppyseed,
Raisin, Wildberry
Certified kosher (dairy) by OU
|
Shown from left: Blueberry, Raspberry, Lemon Ginger and
Original Recipe Scones. |
Purchase online at StickyFingersBakeries.com
Also available at fine food stores nationwide. Prices and flavor availability are verified at publication but are subject to change.
|
