Grapefruit Drop Scones

A couple weeks ago, I thought myself very lucky to have been gifted a very giant bag of citrus fruit fresh from Arizona.  Does it strike anyone else as ironic that there are a ton of grapefruit grown in a state where there is a large, ahem, "mature" population who uses medication prone to dangerous reactions with grapefruit?  Apparently, there are RV parks down there where people can not even give  grapefruit away.  So many grapefruit left uneaten...so sad...

Anyway, now that a couple of weeks have passed, we ran out of steam using the grapefruit and until this morning, a couple were still languishing in my fruit bowl.  I am such a hypocrite.  Determined to use them and needing to bake up something for my Bible study this morning, I came across a recipe for Grapefruit Scones and was intrigued.  They ended up light and tender, and had just a hint of grapefruit flavor hidden in their flakey, biscuit-y goodness.  I made drop scones (instead of the recognizable triangular shape) because the dough ended up pretty sticky, and what can I say, I'm lazy like that.

Grapefruit Drop Scones
2 small-ish grapefruit or 1 large beast of a grapefruit
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup plain yogurt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Remove zest from grapefruit and place in a small bowl.  Add sugar and stir together to make really lovely, fragrant grapefruit sugar.  Set aside.  Cut the remaining peel off of the grapefruit and lop off the top and bottom to show a nice, naked grapefruit.  Using a small paring knife, cut out segments by running your knife along the lines of the membrane out of the grapefruit.  It's okay if some of them fall apart.  Sometimes grapefruit are even so cooperative that you can just peel the membrane off with your fingers.  However you do it, just remove the flesh of the grapefruit and set it aside as well.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and half of grapefruit sugar mixture.  Cut in butter with a pastry blender or two knives (or your fingers if you work fast and not too much) until flour mixture is crumbly and there are still tiny chunks of butter (about the size of small peas) in your flour mixture.  Fold in honey, yogurt and grapefruit segments just until the mixture is combined and comes together.  Drop by large tablespoonfuls a couple inches apart onto a greased cookie sheet (or if you want pretty, shaped scones, you can turn dough onto a floured surface, pat it out into a dish and cut wedges a la a pizza pie, then place evenly spaced apart onto greased cookie sheet).  Sprinkle remaining grapefruit sugar evenly on top of scones, pressing lightly if needed.  Bake at 425 degrees for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown on top.  Allow to cool for about 10 minutes on baking sheet. 

Recipe adapted from: Grapefruit, Honey and Yogurt Scones by Joy the Baker

Carrot Cake

Last week was my Father-in-Law's Birthday.  He loves carrot cake and for the last several years, this is the recipe for the cake I've made for him.  It's a purist's carrot cake: no nuts, no raisins, no pineapple, no coconut.  Carrot cake, pure and simple.  And, after trying a lot of carrot cakes over the years, I have to say this one is my favorite.  Another plus is that it is the only carrot cake I've ever tried that doesn't feel greasy or heavy.  Thank you, Alton Brown, your cake recipe is a winner!  This would make a really lovely addition to your Easter (or another Springtime celebration).  Also, for a really impressive presentation (and serious, cake-eating crowd), double your cake and frosting recipes for a two-layered mammoth of a carrot cake. 

Carrot Cake
makes one 9 inch cake
12 oz carrots, peeled and grated, medium grate (approx. 6 medium carrots)
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (freshly grated, if possible)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 large eggs
6 ounces (2/3 cup) plain yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 ounces (2/3 cup) vegetable oil
cream cheese frosting, recipe follows

Butter and flour a 9 inch cake or spring form pan and line with parchment or waxed paper cut to fit in the bottom.  Set aside.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a food processor (which by the way is a lovely way to grate the carrots if you happen to have one), combine flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Pulse for about 5 seconds to combine thoroughly.  If you do not have a food processor (and had to painstakingly grate those carrots by hand), just stir together the dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Add the carrots and toss flour mixture and carrots together until carrots are coated with the flour mixture.

In the bowl of the food processor (or in a blender if you didn't have the food processor--they really are great kitchen tools, though!), combine the sugars, eggs, yogurt and vanilla extract.  With the processor or blender running, slowly drizzle in oil.  If you are really unfortunate and have neither food processor nor blender, combine all the wet ingredients in a bowl, mixing well.  Then, slowly drizzle in oil mixing continuously.  The important thing here is to get a good emulsion (where the oil is incorporated into the other ingredients--think like shaking up a salad dressing).  That will get you an ungreasy carrot cake.  Pour this mixture into the carrot mixture and stir just until combined.  Pour into prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees F. for 45 minutes.  Then, lower oven temperature to 325 degrees for another 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes.  Turn cake out onto a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.  Frost with cream cheese frosting after cake is completely cooled.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 8 oz. package Reduced Fat cream cheese (or regular, I just was trying to cut back where I could), softened to room temperature
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) butter, softened to room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar

With an electric mixer, beat together cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until well combined.  Mix in vanilla extract.  Slowly add powdered sugar in small increments (about 1/2 cup at a time), beating after each addition.  Beat until smooth and fluffy.  Allow frosting to chill in the fridge for about 10 minutes before frosting the cake.

*Also, some helpful frosting tips: a cold cake is easier to frost than a room temperature one.  Wrap your cake in plastic wrap and freeze overnight or chill in the fridge beforehand.

If desired, you can just generously frost the top of a carrot cake for a rustic appearance.  For a more polished look, frost the entire cake.  For easiest results, frost a chilled cake with a very thin layer of the frosting (a "Crumb Coat") to ensure you don't get all kinds of crumbs in your frosting.  Chill crumb coated cake in the fridge for at least 10 minutes and then cover with additional, thicker layer of frosting for a finished cake. 

Recipe heavily adapted from Alton Brown's Carrot Cake