One of Melanie’s favorite contemporary authors is Robin Kaye. She has all of her books and is reading her new book Wild Thing so keep watch for her review. Robin is joining us today to share her families Christmas tradition and recipe.
Thanks so much for inviting me to celebrate with you! Every Christmas Eve my family gathers around the tree drinking hot chocolate for the kids, and hot buttered rum for the adults, to hear my husband read Twas The Night Before Christmas and The Christmas Story before we send our three children (now between the ages of 14 and 18) up to bed. It has been our family tradition for the last nineteen years, ever since my son’s first Christmas.
For the last five years or so, my husband and I have gotten up early on Christmas morning and together we’ve made Cinnamon Chip Scones. Every year it seems we have to make more because word spreads fast—this year I’m expecting to see strangers joining us for breakfast to grab a warm Cinnamon Chip Scone. It’s been a lovely new tradition and I truly enjoy the time my husband and I spend together in the kitchen before the craziness of Christmas morning ensues.
Cinnamon Chip Scones
From the kitchen of Robin Kaye
Ingredients:
¼ cup sugar, divided
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 to 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons cold butter or margarine
½ cup chopped Hershey’s Cinnamon Chips
2 eggs
½ cup half-and-half, milk, or soymilk
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425º F. Combine 2 tablespoons sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl; set aside. Combine 2 cups of flour, baking powder, salt and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in medium bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in cinnamon chips.
Beat eggs in another small bowl with fork. Add half-and-half, milk, or soymilk; beat until well combined. Measure 1 tablespoon of mixture into a small cup, set aside. Stir in remaining egg mixture into flour mixture. Stir until mixture forms a soft dough that clings together and forms a ball. If it’s too sticky, add enough flour (usually about ¼ cup) so it’s easier to work with.
Turn out dough onto well-floured surface. Knead dough gently ten to twelve times. Roll out dough into a nine by six-inch rectangle. Cut rectangle into six three-inch squares. Cut each square diagonally in half. Place triangles two-inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Brush with reserved egg mixture; sprinkle with reserved cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake ten to twelve minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from baking sheets cool on wire racks ten minutes. Serve warm.
Makes 12 small scones. These always go fast so I usually at least double the recipe. Last time I quadrupled it.
No matter which holiday you celebrate, I wish you all the merriest of holiday seasons!
Robin Kaye :)
