Hot Cross Molasses Raisin Tea Buns

Hot Cross Molasses Raisin Tea Buns

Here's a great Easter idea that would be welcome at a weekend brunch any time of the year. We already have a great recipe for yeast raised Hot Cross Buns here on Rock Recipes but if you are dough-phobic or just don't have the time to make the traditional version, why not try this molasses version that's as easy as making a quick batch of biscuits.

Molasses tea buns are one of my favorites so I've used that recipe here but if you don't want the molasses version, you could try our regular Raisin Tea Buns recipe and just add the spices to that and then top those with the vanilla glaze. Either way, in about an hour you could be enjoying these at an Easter brunch or on any given weekend.

Molasses Raisin Tea Buns

In a food processor or in a large bowl, combine:

• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 rounded tsp baking powder
• 1 rounded tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
• 1 tsp freshly ground nutmeg (optional)

Cut in or pulse in in:

• 3/4 cup cold butter, cut in cubes

until the mixture resembles a fine meal. Remove to a large bowl and stir in:

• 1 1/2 cup raisins (light or dark, your preference)

Make a well in the center of this mixture.

Mix together:

• 1/2 cup fancy molasses
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Pour into the well and mix only enough to form a dough ball.

Roll to 1 inch thickness and cut out buns with biscuit cutter and place in a parchment lined 9x13 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Baking time may vary a little depending on the size of your biscuit cutter.

This recipe makes about 12 tea buns.

Vanilla Glaze

• 1/2 cup icing sugar (powdered sugar)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 to 3 tsp milk

Mix together until smooth. You will want this to be quite a stiff glaze so only add enough milk to bring it to a thick consistency. Pipe crosses onto the tops of the warm buns. A Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off works well for this if you do not have a piping bag.

Hot Cross Molasses Raisin Tea Buns

Drunken Berry Shortcakes

Drunken Berry Shortcakes

It may be the dead of winter here in the far northeast but this dessert was a ray of summer sunshine despite the bleak temperatures outside. A bottle of good port was the inspiration for this recipe, its flavor reminded me of dark cherries and blackberries and I thought it would be a great addition to a trifle or some other luscious dessert. With not enough time to put together a complicated trifle, I opted instead for quick and simple. I soaked the berries in the port for only a couple of hours before spooning them onto freshly baked drop biscuits with a dollop of vanilla whipped cream. The berries were so delicious after only that short soak but when I tasted the leftovers the next day they were even better, so if you have the time try soaking the berries overnight.

In a glass bowl, toss together:

• 1 1/2 cups sliced of quartered strawberries
• 1 1/2 cups blackberries
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1 cup port wine

Cover with plastic wrap and eave to soak in the fridge for at least a couple of hours or overnight. Give the berries an occasional toss every hour or so.

I use rimmed plates as shown in the photo or very shallow bowls to serve the shortcakes, so as to contain the port and berry jucies. When serving I like to drain the port off of the berries and pour a little of it on the plate or in the bowl, for a pretty presentation. I thin split the biscuits in half horizontally, spoon on a half cup of berries per serving and top with a dollop of vanilla whipped cream before topping with the second half of the biscuit.

Buttermilk Drop Biscuits 

This recipe makes about 6 large biscuits.

I start these in my food processor because it is so fast but they can be made just as easily in a large bowl by cutting the butter in with a pastry blender or even 2 knifes held between the fingers.

In a food processor, combine:

• 1 cup flour
• 3 tbsp sugar cup sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• pinch salt

Cut in:

• 1/4 cup very cold butter, cubed

Pulse process until this mixture resembles a coarse meal.  Mix together:

• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 ounces buttermilk

Pour this over the surface of the dry mixture. Toss all together gently with a rubber spatula, only enough to form a dough ball.

Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls onto a parchment lined baking pan.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 20 - 25 minutes or until light golden brown. Baking time will vary depending on the size of your biscuits.

Vanilla Whipped Cream

• 1 cup whipping cream
• 2 tbsp icing sugar (powdered sugar)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Whip together to soft peaks.

Drunken Berry Shortcakes

Lemon Sour Cream Tea Biscuits

Lemon Sour Cream Tea Biscuits

These fragrant little lemon morsels remind me of a formal afternoon English tea. I think they would fit right in beside the cucumber sandwiches and Victoria sponge cake. We enjoyed these this morning at brunch with some simple, freshly made Newfoundland wild blueberry jam and they were scrumptious. Some thick cream or clotted cream would also be wonderful on them.

Lemon Sour Cream Tea Biscuits

Recipe by Barry C. Parsons

Light, airy little lemon tea biscuits that would be right at home at an afternoon tea.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 25-30 minutes
Yield: About 20 small biscuits.
Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp very cold butter
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp water
• 1 egg
• few tbsp turbinado sugar (optional)
• Zest of one lemon, finely minced
• pinch salt

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a food processor, blend together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and lemon zest.
3. Pulse in the butter.
4. Do not over incorporate the butter into the flour. Similar to making a flaky pastry, small pieces of butter should be visible in the flour.
5. Transfer this mixture from the food processor into a large mixing bowl and make a well in the center.
6. Mix together the sour cream, milk and vanilla. Pour into the well.
7. Working very quickly with a wooden spoon, fold the dry mixture through the buttermilk, only until the flour disappears, then stop immediately. Drop the sticky dough onto a well floured counter top or bread board. Sprinkle the top of the dough with additional flour as well as flouring your hands to handle the dough. I don't even use a rolling pin for these biscuits, the dough is soft enough to pat it out gently with floured hands to a thickness of about 3/4 inch. Using a small biscuit cutter cut the biscuits out an place them, 1 1/2 inches apart on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. I recommend an aluminum baking sheet because it tolerates the higher oven temperature without burning the bottom of the biscuits.
8. Whisk together the water and egg and brush lightly over the top of the biscuits. You will only need a little of the egg wash mixture.
9. Sprinkle with some turbinado sugar if desired.
10. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

    

    Lemon Sour Cream Tea Biscuits - delicious with homemade blueberry jam.

VIDEO RECIPE: Buttermilk Biscuits with Chorizo Sausage and Quick Tomato Compote

For iPad and iPhone users, if the video does not load below please try this link on the CBC website.

Here's the second installment in Rock Recipes video cooking series with CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. Regular readers know I love my Sunday Brunch and this recipe is a real stick-to-your- ribs kind of start to a busy weekend day. Check out how to make the lightest buttermilk biscuits and how to quickly and simply make some homemade chorizo sausage. Add some quick-cooked, fresh tomato compote and scrambled egg and you've got one outstanding brunch dish.

Find the individual recipes in this dish at the links below: 

Buttermilk Biscuits

Chorizo Sausage

Spicy Quick Tomato Compote 

Buttermilk Biscuit Cinnamon Rolls

Buttermilk Biscuit Cinnamon Rolls

I’ve seen several versions of these gorgeous cinnamon rolls on various blogs and on Pinterest and I’ve even had a couple of readers ask if I had a recipe of my own, so I finally got around to trying this idea this morning. As a die-hard cinnamon roll lover, I was a bit skeptical but with no need for the significant amount of time it takes a yeast raised dough to rise, I had these in the oven in about 20 minutes, so that in itself is a huge benefit of this recipe.

In the end, as I sat with my morning coffee, enjoying one of these warm from the oven, I realized I did not miss spending all that time waiting to enjoy a great cinnamon roll at all. This is an idea that is sure to make repeat appearances at weekend brunches at our house.

Makes 8 large rolls

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a food processor, blend together:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda

Pulse in

• 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp very cold salted butter, cut in small cubes

Do not over incorporate the butter into the flour. Similar to making a flaky pastry, small pieces of butter should be visible in the flour. 

Transfer this mixture from the food processor into a large mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Pour in:

• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Working very quickly with a wooden spoon, fold the dry mixture through the buttermilk, only until the flour disappears, then stop immediately. Drop the sticky dough onto a well floured counter top or bread board. Sprinkle the top of the dough with additional flour as well as flouring your hands to handle the dough. Roll out the dough into a rectangle about 9x18 inches.

Mix together into a paste:

• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3 tbsp melted butter

Spread this paste evenly onto the rolled dough using a rubber spatula. Sprinkle the surface of the dough with

• ¾ cup of raisins (optional)

Press the raisins down into the dough gently with the palm of your hand.

Starting at the shorter end of the rolled dough roll the dough up tightly and pinch the end of the dough together to seal the end of the dough into the roll.

Slice the roll into 8 equally thick slices and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. I recommend aluminum baking sheets because they tolerate the higher oven temperature without burning the bottom of the biscuits. You can brush the rolls with an egg wash to help them brown and sprinkle the tops with turbinado sugar for a little crunch if you like but this is optional.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until the tops of the biscuits are evenly golden brown. Drizzle with Vanilla Glaze.

Vanilla Glaze

• 3/4 cup icing sugar (powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp melted butter
• 3 tbsp milk
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix together until smooth. You can add a little more icing sugar or milk to make the glaze thicker or thinner in consistency to suit your taste.

Cheddar Chive Biscuit & Tomato Eggs Benedict

Cheddar Chive Biscuit & Tomato Eggs Benedict

Here's a little lighter version of Eggs Benedict without using high fat Hollandaise sauce. In terms of flavor, I actually prefer this version with the high impact flavors of smokey ham, fresh tomato and warm from the oven cheddar chive biscuits. This is always on my weekend menu whenever we cook our favorite Dijon Mustard and Demerara Sugar Glazed Ham. I like to thinly slice the ham ans lightly pan fry it to use in this terrific brunch dish. This one could become your Sunday brunch classic.

This delicious brunch uses half a large, cheddar chive biscuit as the base, topped by lightly fried glazed ham, perfectly poached eggs and warm , spicy, fresh tomato compote. One outstanding brunch.

Cheddar and Chive Biscuits

Makes about 10 three inch biscuits

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a food processor, blend together

4 cups all purpose flour

9 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

Pulse in

1/4 cup + 1 tbsp very cold vegetable shortening, cut in small cubes (I store mine in the freezer)

1/4 cup + 1 tbsp very cold salted butter, cut in small cubes

Do not over incorporate the shortening and butter into the flour. Similar to making a flaky pastry, small pieces of butter should be visible in the flour. 

Transfer this mixture from the food processor into a large mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Toss in:

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, diced small

1/4 tbsp chopped fresh chives

Pour in

2 cups buttermilk

Working very quickly with a wooden spoon, fold the dry mixture through the buttermilk, only until the flour disappears, then stop immediately. Drop the sticky dough onto a well floured counter top or bread board. Sprinkle the top of the dough with additional flour as well as flouring your hands to handle the dough. I don't even use a rolling pin for these biscuits, the dough is soft enough to pat it out gently with floured hands to a thickness of about 1 & 1/2 inches. Using a sharp 3 inch or larger biscuit cutter cut the biscuits out an place them, almost touching, on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Alternately, you can cut the dough into three or for inch squares with a sharp knife. I recommend aluminum baking sheets because they tolerate the higher oven temperature without burning the bottom of the biscuits.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until the tops of the biscuits are evenly golden brown.

Spicy Tomato Compote

4 cloves minced garlic
6 tbsp olive oil
8 large ripe tomatoes diced
2 tbsp brown sugar
6 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp crushed chili sauce
salt and pepper to season

Saute the garlic in the oil over medium heat for just a minute before adding the tomatoes, brown sugar, chili sauce, salt, pepper. Continue to cook until the tomatoes soften and the compote reduces to a jam-like consistency. Add the balsamic vinegar in the final minute or two of cooking before serving.

Signal Hill Blueberries for Cinnamon Biscuit Blueberry Cobbler

Cinnamon Biscuit Blueberry Cobbler

From time to time I get emails from curious readers from different parts of the globe , wondering just where in the world I am. The blog has seen readers from 127 different countries since it started almost a year ago, some of whom had never heard of Newfoundland. I was reminded of that a few days ago when I went blueberry picking with the family on historic Signal Hill here in St. John's, Newfoundland and thought I'd share with the good readers a small piece of our beautiful corner of the world.

From high atop Signal Hill, what you see spreading all around you are beautiful vistas of the Atlantic Ocean, our city and a ruggedly beautiful coastline. In the photo below is the view as you look east from Signal Hill. The point of land that can be seen at the right of this photo is Cape Spear, the most easterly point of land in North America. Head east from here and the next thing you hit is Ireland.

Historic Cabot Tower sits at the highest point of Signal Hill and it is the first stop for the many thousands of visiting tourists to St. John's each year. On any given day you may find as many locals as you would tourists, the views are so spectacular that even after decades of gazing, we never tire of them. The tower was built in 1897 to commemorate the 400th Anniversary of John Cabot's discovery of Newfoundland in 1497.

At the base of the hill lies Fort Amherst which sits at the Narrows, a mere slit of an opening to St. John's Harbour, one of the most sheltered ports on the continent.

Below is a view of downtown St. John's, Newfoundland from historic Signal Hill. The hill is very significant in the history of communications as well, being the point of land that Marconi received the first transatlantic wireless signal from Cornwall, England on December 12, 1901. It was a single letter "S" sent in Morse Code. How far we've come since then.

Below is a panoramic view of downtown St. John's including it's famous sheltered harbour and sheltering Southside Hills. Cabot Tower sits at the top of Signal Hill on the horizon just to the left of center in this photo. Click on the photo to see a larger version, as you can with all of the photos in this series. (UPDATE: It seems the format of this panoramic photo is incompatible with Blogger. To see a larger version of this image, just follow this link to all of the photos from Rock Recipes and click on the thumbnail there. The most recent photos from the blog are at the end of the list: http://picasaweb.google.com/barrycparsons/RockRecipes

Wild blueberries are an iconic image in Newfoundland's natural environment and indeed, it's history. The grow wild on Signal Hill as they do all over the island. Many, if not most Newfoundlander's recollections of late summer and early fall are peppered with memories of family outings to go blueberry picking. Gallons of blueberry jam were made and bottled for winters to come and served as both memories of summers past and promises of those yet to come. Many folks still take to the barrens and rocky hills at this time of year in search of these sweet blue pearls to fill their freezers for those slightly more tolerable but still endless, Newfoundland winters.

...and finally, the fruits of our labours on this occasion, found their way into this delicious Cinnamon Biscuit Blueberry Cobbler. The vanilla Ice Cream is in no way optional!! ;)



Mix together until well combined
¾ cup sugar
1 ½ tbsp corn starch
Toss together with
6 cups blueberries
4 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp lemon zest, finely grated

Pour into the bottom of an ungreased 9x9 inch glass baking dish.
NOTE: This recipe uses fresh blueberries. If using frozen blueberries, allow them to thaw completely and come to room temperature before using them in this recipe.

Sift together
1 ½ cups flour
¼ cup sugar
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon

Cut in with a pastry cutter or in a food processor:

¼ cup + 2 tbsp very cold butter, cut in cubes

Beat together:
1 egg
½ cup milk
2 tsp vanilla extract

Add to dry ingredients and mix together just until dough forms. Pat the dough to a one inch thickness and cut out 9 biscuits with a biscuit cutter. Egg wash the tops of the biscuits and sprinkle the tops with a little sugar. Place the biscuits on top of the blueberry mixture. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for approximately 30 minutes or until the blueberries are bubbling at the center of the pan and the tops of the biscuits are golden brown. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Savoury Biscuits

Pictured with Turkey Stew

The recipe for my turkey stew has appeared previously on this blog but I did not post the recipe for these savoury biscuits which I often serve with turkey or chicken soups and stews. When my friend Barb was the recipient of some leftover turkey stew earlier this week, she raved about the savoury biscuits that were baked right on top of the stew in the final minutes of cooking. Since I had not added the recipe to my blog, just for you Barb, here it is. Enjoy!

I start these in my food processor because it is so fast but they can be made just as easily in a large bowl by cutting the butter in with a pastry cutter or even 2 knifes held between the fingers.

In a food processor, combine:
3 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 clove minced garlic (optional)

Cut in:
¾ cup very cold butter, cubed
Pulse process until this mixture resembles a coarse meal. It is very important that pea sized pieces of butter remain in this mixture. Remove to a large bowl and toss in:

¼ cup savoury

Mix together:

2 tbsp lemon juice
1 cup milk

Pour this over the surface of the dry mixture. Toss all together gently with a fork only enough to form a dough ball. It is important that you work this dough as little as possible or the finished scones will be too dense and heavy. Roll to 1 inch thickness and cut out biscuits with biscuit cutter and place on parchment lined baking sheet.

If desired you can brush the tops of the biscuits with an egg wash of 1 egg beaten together with 1 tbsp water.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 25 minutes or until light golden brown. Baking time will vary depending on the size of your biscuit cutter. This recipe makes 12 large biscuits.

Great with chicken or turkey soups and stews. For oven stews I bake them right on top of the stew itself at the end of the cooking time.