Tiny tart flecks of garden fresh rhubarb macerated overnight and baked into easy food processor cream scones baked to golden brown and topped with a quick pink grapefruit glaze.
What to do when the rhubarb arrives? Just a few short weeks ago I actually purchased Rhubarb at the farmers’ market and the rhubarb gods said nay, you shall not purchase the rhubarb and they rewarded me with great bundles of red and green stalks, tart and garden fresh.
I froze some. And then took the remaining two pounds of Rhubarb and macerated it. And I on the first day I baked scones.
coming quite soon…
Rhubarb Shrub
Rhubarb Trifle
but in the meantime try these rhubarb recipes
- Easy Rhubarb Refrigerator Jam (my go to jam for waffle sundays, so good with real maple syrup)
- or this beautiful and delicious Rhubarb Upside down Cake with fresh strawberries- made in cast iron of course 😉
Possible variations and suggestions for Rhubarb Cream Scones
Instead of grapefruit feel free to use any citrus, meyer lemon, lime. OR omit the citrus all together and either top the scones with coarse sugar (I’d brush the tops with a little milk or cream first) or make a vanilla glaze substituting heavy cream or milk for the grapefruit and and adding 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Or instead of vanilla go for rosewater (if you try this do please let me know how it works, it sounds amazing in my mind…)
No time to macerate? no problem. You can skip this step (if you’re concerned about the scones not being sweet enough just add another teaspoon of sugar).
I cut the rhubarb into fairly large pieces and let the food processor do the work of chopping it smaller- if making these scones by hand finely chop the rhubarb and add it last.
If you don’t have vanilla sugar you can simple add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract to the batter (mix it into the cream before adding that) IF you’d like to make your own vanilla sugar try this recipe from Alton Brown. Or, alternately, you can make a slightly less vanilla version by adding any used vanilla pods – a delicacy these days- to your sugar. This method because lacks the seeds takes at least six weeks to impart any flavor.
Rhubarb Cream Scones with fresh grapefruit glaze
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1-2 teaspoons fresh grapefruit zest
- 1/3 cup vanilla sugar or add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract if you don’t have vanilla sugar- don’t know what I mean by vanilla sugar? check out the variations and suggestions above
- 8 Tablespoons (one stick)-chilled unsalted butter cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1- 1 1/2 cups rough cut rhubarb- macerated and drained
- 2/3- 3/4 cup heavy cream
for the glaze
- 1 cup unsifted powdered sugar
- 1-2 Tablespoons grapefruit juice
- zest of half a pink grapefruit about 1 1/2-2 teaspoons
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 425F
- In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade combine flour, baking powder, salt, grapefruit zest and sugar- whirr to combine
- Add the chilled butter and pulse in one second intervals about 5-10 times until butter is roughly the size of fat peas.
- Add the drained rhubarb and pulse a few (less than fivtimes to coat, combine, and roughly chop
- Add the heavy cream (start with 2/3 cup and add more a tablespoon at a time as neccessary for the dough to just come together)
- Pulse in one to two second bursts until the dough just begins to come together. IT should still be crumbly and perhaps just a smidge wetter than the picture.
- Dump the dough on to the counter and form into two seperated rounds. (If the the dough is a little two dry or if you want to wait you can wrap the dough and refrigerate 30-90 minutes.
- Roll out each disk into an approximately eight inch round and cut into 6-8 equal pieces each
- Place on baking sheet lined with silpat or parchment and bake for 15-20 minutes until edges are a deep golden brown.
- While the scones are baking make the glaze by combining powdered sugar, grapefruit zest, and grapefruit juice in a medium bowl and whisking until smooth
- When the scones are no longer hot- either just warm or room temperature- top with glaze
- Serve immediately or will keep for a day or two in a well sealed container.
Scones of LOVE!!!! I SO love Rhubarb! Can’t wait to see what you do with it next!! Mmmmmm….
Thanks Cyndee! We live in a good part of the world to be rhubarb lovers 😉