photo by: Mother Earth News

Mulberry scones

Mulberry Clafoutis

A clafoutis is a French dessert. The finished product has a layer of breading, a custard-like tier, and fruit that has risen to the top. Clafoutis also makes a nice breakfast dish. Yield: 6 servings.

Ingredients:

1⁄2 stick butter

3 cups mulberries

1⁄2 cup flour

1⁄2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Pinch of salt

3 large eggs

3⁄4 cup milk

Flavoring, optional: 1 tablespoon rum, or 1⁄2 teaspoon each vanilla and almond extract

Powdered sugar, optional

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease an 8-inch glass pan with butter. Spread berries in greased baking pan.

2. Melt remaining butter, then cool.

3. In a food processor or blender, combine flour, sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Process to mix.

4. Add eggs, milk, butter, and flavoring to dry ingredients, and process until well-mixed. In a blender, mixture will be thin and frothy.

5. Pour mixed batter over berries. Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes.

6. Cool to room temperature to serve. Just before serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.

Mulberry Scones

Yield: 12 scones.

Ingredients:

1 stick butter, chilled

1 tablespoon lemon zest

2 large eggs, beaten

11⁄2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1⁄2 teaspoon almond extract

1⁄2 to 2⁄3 cup milk

23⁄4 cups all-purpose flour

1⁄3 cup sugar

3⁄4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 cup fresh mulberries, frozen at least 1 hour to help retain shape

Topping

2 tablespoons milk

2 tablespoons sparkling sugar

Directions:

1. Grate 1⁄2 to 3⁄4 stick butter, and then chop remainder into small cubes slightly larger than pea-sized.

2. Return butter to refrigerator to keep chilled until use.

3. Zest lemon and set aside.

4. In a small bowl, combine eggs, extracts, and 1⁄2 cup milk. Keep remaining milk handy should you need additional moisture when mixing scones.

5. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, lemon zest, and baking powder, and stir.

6. Add butter to dry ingredients, and work in with fingers to make a crumbly mixture. Try to mix butter in well enough that no pieces are larger than pea-sized.

7. Mix in frozen mulberries.

8. Pour wet ingredients over dry ones, and stir to mix. Try not to overmix; handle the dough as little as possible until it’s intact.

9. Separate dough into 2 pieces, and place on a parchment-covered baking sheet. Shape each part into a circle approximately 3⁄4 inch thick and 6 inches in diameter. Cut each circle into 6 wedges. Gently separate the wedges to allow baking room between them. Pierce wedges 5 to 6 times each with a fork. Place baking sheet with wedges into freezer and chill for 30 minutes before baking.

10. Place oven rack in upper third of oven, and preheat oven to 425 F.

11. Remove chilled scones from freezer. For topping, brush with milk and sprinkle with sparkling sugar.

12. Bake for 18 to 23 minutes, until lightly golden.