Phone: (203) 245 0550
(203) 245 0550
Scranton Seahorse Inn
Scranton Seahorse Inn

Hazelnut Scones with Cherries and Oats

Hazelnut Scones

with toasted oats and dried cherries

I love making this recipe and the hazelnuts are the star.  The aroma of the oats and hazelnuts while they’re roasting is a sign of delicious things to come.  Because of the oats I use less flour and the end result are crunchy flaky scones.  If you don’t have dried cherries you can use dried cranberries in their place.  But if you can get your hands on them it’s worth it.  Because the oats absorb some of the liquid I use 1/2 & 1/2 (versus heavy cream).

 

 

  • 1   1/4 cups Quaker oats
  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped hazelnuts
  • 1/2 cup half & half
  • 1 large egg
  • 1  1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon table salt
  • 10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut into 1/2″ cubes
  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped dried tart cherries

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

  1. Using two sheet pans, spread oats on one and the chopped hazelnuts on the other and toast until lightly browned and fragrant.    The nuts should take about 7 minutes and the oats about 5 minutes longer.  Keep an eye on them and be sure not to burn the hazelnuts.   Remove from oven and cool.
  2. Raise temperature of your oven to 425 degrees.
  3. Whisk together cream and egg.  Reserving 2 tablespoons for glazing the scones.
  4. In a food processor combine 3/4 cup of oats, the flour, sugar and baking powder and pulse a few times to combine.  Scatter in the cold butter and pulse until the mixture is the consistency of a coarse cornmeal.   Transfer this mixture to a good size mixing bowl.    Using a large rubber spatula fold in the remaining oats and nuts.  Add the cherries.
  5. Fold in the liquid ingredients until large clumps form.   Using your hand mix the dough a few more times until a large ball is formed.
  6. Dust your work surface with a little flour and then gently pat the mixture until a 7″ circle until it’s about 1″ thick.  Using a sharp knife cut into 8 wedges.  Line a sheet pan with parchment and place wedge 2″ apart.  Brush each wedge with the reserved liquid and sprinkle with a little turbinado sugar.    Place sheet pan with scones in freezer for about 10 minutes.
  7. Bake until golden brown and delicious – about 12 – 14 minutes.  Let them cool for about 20 minutes before serving.

This recipe doubles easily.  Uncooked wedges can be wrapped and frozen for 2 weeks.   If you plan to freeze the uncooked wedges don’t glaze or sugar them until your ready to cook (you can use 1/2 & 1/2)   Cook them frozen and increase the cooking time by a 5 minutes.

 

 

 

Cherry Scones

Cherry Scones

with a very special secret ingredient…..

Here’s another scone recipe that is a favorite among our guests at the Scranton Seahorse Inn.   This recipe comes together very quickly because I add the dry ingredients and the butter in food processor to create the scone dough.   This is also one of the few scone recipes that I use cake flour versus all purpose flour which makes for a lighter and less dense scone.

The secret ingredient is curry.  Curry is a sweet spice but it does introduce a slight kick.  The cherries and the sugar tone down the very subtle curry flavor so there’s a terrific sweet and savory balance.    I don’t usually tell my guests about the secret ingredient until they’ve tried them.   I worry that the picky eaters might turn them down before trying them.  I’d guess that 95-99% of my guests that have tried them have enjoyed them.  It’s ok to reduce the amount of curry to 1T the first time you make them but I’m confident the second time around you’ll increase it.

  • 4 cups cake flour
  • 1/3 cup granulate sugar
  • 1 T Baking powder
  • 2 T Curry Powder
  • 1 t Baking Soda
  • pinch kosher salt
  • 3/4 cup dried cherries (or cranberries)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1.5 cups heavy cream
  • 12 T  cold unsalted butter cut into small cubes

Preheat Oven to 375

  1. Add all the dry ingredients together and place into the work bowl of your food processor and pulse a couple times to combine.
  2. Sprinkle chilled butter into food processor and pulse until it’s the consistency of small peas or coarse sand. Take care to not over process.   Turn flour / butter mixture into a large bowl.   Add cherries and stir to mix.
  3. In a small bowl whisk together 1 of the eggs and cream.
  4. Add the wet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and using a large rubber spatula gently fold until completely incorporated taking care to not over mix.   With lightly floured hands knead the dough making sure all the flour is incorporated before turning out onto a light floured counter or large cutting board.
  5. Using a sharp knife divide the scone dough into two equal parts.   Shape both pieces into into 6”discs. They should be about ¾ – 1” high. Cut each disc into 6 wedges by first cutting in half then cutting each half into 3 equal wedges.
  6. Place the wedges on a sheet pan lined with parchment or a silpat. Whisk the remaining egg with a splash of water and brush the tops of each.  Sprinkle turbinado sugar onto the tops.
  7. Bake on the center rack for about 20 minutes until gold brown and delicious.
  8. Cool on a wire rack before serving

 

 

 

 

 

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Rum Raisin Scones

Rum Raisin Scones

the perfect accompaniment with a good cup of tea….

The rum soaked raisins make these scones so scrumptious.    The longer the raisins soak in the rum the more intense the flavor gets.    The raisins will keep 8-10 weeks in the refridgerator so I make a large batch and have them ready.  If you don’t like or can’t have rum just plump up the raisins as indicated below and skip the rum.

 

 

 

 

  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1/2 cup dark rum (I use Meyers)
  • 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon + 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 granulated sugar
  • 1/2 kosher salt
  • 6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter cut into small pieces
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream + 2 tablespoons to brush the scones with
  • 1 – 2 tablespoons demerara sugar
  1. Place the raisins in a small saucepan and cover with water.   Bring to a boil then strain.   Now place the raisins in a small bowl and cover with the rum and let it set for at least an hour.
  2. In a mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, granulated sugar, and salt.  Toss in the cut up butter and place the bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes.
  3. Using the paddle attachment mix on low until the butter is broken up into pebble sized pieces (3 minutes).
  4. Strain the raisins reserving the rum.    Add the raisins to the flour mixture and beat just once or twice and evenly distribute them.
  5. With the mixer still on low speed and add the 1/4 cup of rum and the heavy cream until the dough comes together.
  6. Using your hands, knead the mixure in the bowl until the dough comes together completely. Turn the dough out to a lightly floured surface and roll it into a 7-inch round – about 3/4 inch thick.   Using a sharp knife cut in 12 equals wedges.  The wedges will look small but they will spread and rise in the oven.
  7. Place wedges on your baking sheet at least 1/2″ apart.  Cover with plastic wrap and freee for 15 minutes.  In the meantime preheat your oven to 375.
  8. Brush the scones with heavy cream and spinkle with the Demerara sugar.
  9. Bake for 20 minutes turning the baking sheet halfway through.
  10. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.  Serve warm.

Saint Patrick’s Day Special

Saint Patrick’s Day is a cultural and religious holiday meant to commemorate and celebrate the patron saint of Ireland and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland.   On a day that seems like everyone is Irish we celebrate St. Patrick’s by church services, wearing green, or sharing a beer (or two!) with good friends.

Here at the Scranton Seahorse Inn we’ll celebrate with food and drink.    Stay with us St. Patrick’s Day weekend (Friday or Saturday)and enjoy some homemade traditional irish fare.  Special room rates will include a full dinner with your choices of corned beef and cabbage,  beef and Guinness stew, Irish soda bread, and of course a helping Guinness and Irish Whiskey.  For dessert we’ll have our house made Guinness Ice Cream.    A traditional Irish breakfast will be served in the morning.  

Once you are done with dinner there are several Irish pubs here on the shoreline where you can continue to celebrate the day.    To help send you on your way we’ll provide you with a special pub crawl map  and a card for shoreline taxi.

Room rates are inclusive of dinner and breakfast and start at $225 per night.   Please call the inn at 203.245.0550