Rhubarb, strawberry & ginger buttermilk scones – craggy, golden scone dough stuffed with pockets of jammy tart rhubarb & crystallised ginger. Jump to Recipe
I’ve been a little AWOL around here lately. Over the last year, I’ve stuck to a tight timetable of one post per week – a recipe carefully trialled, baked and photographed, edited and put together with writing. As much as I wanted to continue that, the few weeks of push towards our final exams necessitated a little break. I was torn between blogging and studying, but with the work piling up and the realization of just how much material I needed to cover, university had to take priority. I decided I’d rather see my exam results later knowing I’d done everything I can, and not regret the hours and energy spent on a couple of extra recipes over here.
Studying was exhausting. The kitchen table was cluttered with pages and pages of my colourfully messily jotted down notes, books were stacked on most available surfaces and each day was a mountain of words and cramped fingers. My mid-morning flat white from the cafe down the road accompanied by a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie (freezer cookies are lifesavers!) was the high point of the day. As much as I find what we do interesting (and I do, I really do – especially the practical part of actually working in a hospital), that urgent, stressful week of trying to understand and remember as much information as possible is the worst.
I’m writing this from the window-seat of our house back in Auckland with summer stretching ahead. Selling Christmas trees with that familiar pine needle smell (not so keen on the part where I have to sit outside all day), making cakes (any advice on a star wars or minecraft theme for 6 year old birthdays?!), spending more time working on this blog, swimming, sun soaking, beach walks and general laziness. My list of recipes to try is already stupidly long, and I’ve decided this will be the summer of pie. I’ve never made a proper pie (only tarts, like this roasted carrot, white chocolate and ginger one), and it’s a goal to master them. Lattice crusts are the scariest bit, along with the prospect of soggy pasty. Spring rhubarb and strawberry, summer stonefruit and berries, an out-of-season crack pie (still dreaming of that momofuku piece) and of course a salty honey pie – the slice I had in thee Four & Twenty Brooklyn shop was out of this world. The Four & Twenty Blackbirds pie bible is here – I just need to find a pie pan! Glass or metal, guys?
Also on the list: ricotta gnocchi, homemade pasta, sourdough, yeasted waffles, a dutch baby pancake, bagels with gravlax, chocolate halva babka and crumpets. Essentially everything that takes a little too much time and effort to tackle during the university year. Wish me luck!
Today I have something much simpler for you. These rhubarb, strawberry & ginger buttermilk scones are what morning-tea dreams are made of. Craggy, dimpled scones with golden, crunchy edges, stuffed with pockets of jammy, tart rhubarb and the citrusy spice of crystallised ginger. It’s my go-to scone recipe, adapted from Tartine Bakery and reinvented for spring. The flaky dough is made extra light by the buttermilk rather than traditional cream, and it’s all just in one bowl, with minimal washing up required. Don’t skip the final brush of melted butter and sprinkle of sugar – it lends an addictive crunchy crust to the finished scone. Serve them with tangy whipped vanilla mascarpone and extra berries, if you’re feeling decadent. If you’re in those parts of the world where rhubarb isn’t in season, try these blueberry scones with lemon curd instead.
Craggy, golden scone dough stuffed with pockets of jammy tart rhubarb & crystallised ginger. Adapted from Tartine Bakery
- 1 cup rhubarb , thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup strawberries , quartered or in eighths
- 2/3 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
- 1/4 cup caster sugar
- 2 3/8 cup (340g) plain flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- scant 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- heaped 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 125 g cold unsalted butter , cut into small cubes
- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons buttermilk
- extra 3-4 strawberries for topping , sliced lengthways
- 2 tablespoons butter , melted to brunch
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar for sprinkling
- 1 cup mascarpone
- 3/4 cup cream
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
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Preheat the oven to 200°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
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In a medium bowl, combine the rhubarb, strawberries, crystallised ginger and vanilla. Stir to combine and set aside.
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in another large bowl, combine the 1/4 cup caster sugar, plain flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
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Cut in the cold butter or use your fingers to rub it in until it resembles textured breadcrumbs (there may be some larger bits of butter left - that is fine).
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Stir in the buttermilk until it just starts to come together
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Add the fruit mixture and gently stir into the dough - it can still be quite crumbly at this point. Turn onto the baking sheet, and with floured hands, gently bring the dough together into a disc about 3-4 cm thick. You may need to press some of the fruit back into the scone dough
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Brush the top with the melted butter and sprinkle the sugar on top
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Using a sharp knife, cut the disc into 6-8 even wedges and gently spread apart on the baking tray, leaving about 2 cm between each. Top with a strawberry slice.
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Bake for 25 minutes or until golden.
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Beat the cream to stiff peaks
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Add the mascarpone, sugar and vanilla.
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Beat to combine and bring back to a thick consistency (less than 1 minute)
Oh, this makes me crave spring/summer again!! I miss all the rhubarb and strawberry goods. First, I feel ya – I’m currently studying hard for microbio (aka I should not be reading blogs lol oh well), and it’s literally CRAM ALL THE INFO IN. Argh. It’s hard to keep motivated when it is just memorizing, but I’ve heard from upper classes that it really solidifies once you apply it on the wards… bah. Second, METAL PIE PAN FOR SURE. With metal pans there is less shrinkage of the pie crust, and it cooks better / flakier with metal. I started out with glass, then to ceramic, then finally got my two aluminum pie plans that I use ALWAYS now. I loved that salty honey pie we had – it was my favorite of the 4 we tried! This is just so scrumptious Claudia!
ugh microbio is the WORST! Luckily we get way less of that now that are exams are mainly clinically related, and it does become relevant and you get a kick when you know the answers on the wards haha! I bought a metal pie pan yesterday (SO HARD TO FIND in NZ, apparently we are pie-haters over here) and can’t wait start using it.
first thought: i wish it was summer, i want strawberries!! but anyways, hope you’re getting some good relaxation in now that you’re done! i find it so easy to procrastinate through blogging (and baking and reading and watching youtube) right around finals time, so much applause to you for pushing through and finishing strong (:
Oh I’m loving being done! lots of work going on now (xmas trees!) but it still way less pressure and so much more relaxed than being at uni. hope you’re well!
These look like just the thing I need for breakfast this summer. I am excited for a pie summer. We have such good fruits in summer it seems a shame not to pie it all up. I find metal works best – i use my great grandmother’s pie dish and it works brilliantly for the most part (my main problem is soggy bottoms at the moment)
All the study is worht it claudia I am sure you’re doing brilliantly!
thanks Ruby! I just bought a metal pie pan the other day and can’t wait to use it – strawberries, rhubarb, peaches, apricots -all the summer fruit! that is so lovely that you have your great grandmother’s pie dish – I have my grandmothers loaf tins and they’re just brilliant, and I love using something that has been used so many times before me.
Seems like the trip to NYC has been greatly inspiring to you. Really looking forward to all your upcoming recipes 🙂 I’ve already tried my hands on some homemade pasta after our cooking class but now I also really want to bake my first sourdough. And those scones just look amazing. Reminds me so much of summer (which I miss a looooot). x Kati
so inspiring! oh how did your pasta go? I tried ricotta gnocchi last week which were awesome, can’t wait to make them again. thanks Kati!
It can be difficult to stick with a posting schedule! I’ve let my blog fall off quite a bit this year, but am hoping to pick back up in 2017. These scones are absolutely gorgeous.
So hard! I think most people don’t realise just how much time and energy goes into each post as well – it’s like a second job. Worth it though – can’t wait to see more of your posts!
Ahh we had our first snow here yesterday!! Now these scones are just make miss summer even more!! I’m totally bookmarking these for next year. And wow, it must be so hard juggling all the exams while running a food blog…, But kuddos for listening to yourself and allowing yourself a little break. The recipes can always wait. Your sanity is way more important. <3
Thanks Sophie! It’s tricky sometimes (mainly when exams hit haha!) but worth it – I love being able to do something that is completely different from medicine. Can’t imagine having snow on the ground – keep warm!
Lovely scones mmm strawberry and rhubarb oh summer how I miss you. Well doone on finishing your exams it sounded intense have a well deserved restful summer and cannot wait to see some of those awesome recipes on your to do list.
yay!! i’m looking forward to seeing more the brick kitchen posts this summer!! these scones look amazing, i just adore the addition of ginger – i’ve never tried that in a baked good before??!! Xx
We’re just tucking in for the winter here in the states, so these perfectly springy scones look too good! Love the addition of the ginger.
Oh man, these sound so good right now… it’s cold and snowy here, but imagining a plate of these scones in front of my just transported me to spring!
Also, I am all for you tackling pies! They are easier than they look, once you get the hang of making pie crust. The hardest part, I find, is not adding too much moisture to the dough — it always seems dryer than it should be, but it turns out flaky and tender that way. Personally I use glass pie pans, but I’m not super familiar with using metal ones so I can’t really say which is better. Good luck with all the recipes on your to-make list!
Hi Claudia. I’m glad to hear you made studying the priority. I used to blog 6x week and I nearly lost my mind — definitely burned out many, many times. I blog about 1x week now (and do video 1x week), and I’m happy with that . Your recipe looks amazing!! I wish you all the best with your studies.
UGH so jealous of the strawberry and rhubarb that you have right now! Starting to get really cold here in NYC. I am still trying to master scones. I love them but i need to practice mine more. These look amazing!
I have such a craving for scones right now, you have no idea! haha. I guess I will have to be patient and wait till next weekend to bake the scones and make the dutch baby pancakes. Except now, I want to make your scones. They look delicious! I have never tried the melted butter on top with the sprinkling of sugar, always enjoyed mine buttery and almost savoury, very intriguing. I am not sure what crystallised ginger tastes like… does it come out chewy or dissolves? Either way, beautiful photos and I am so glad that you are enjoying your holidays. Will have to catch up when you are back. In the meantime, thank goodness for Instagram Stories! xxx
What beautiful scones! Love this gorgeous fruit combo with a touch of ginger. Gorgeous photos as always too hun!
Pies are the best! I recommend pyrex pie plates – I was skeptical at first because in my mind metal conducts heat right? But the pyrex is fab – and you can look under the pie to check if it’s brown yet
I agree with Willow about only adding just enough water/milk – and practice is key – it will come together once you get the feel for it – took me ages 🙂