While I was sewing this week, I was watching a Craftsy class. This “Irish Whisky Cake” looked easy and fast and pretty spectacular. So I gave it a try.
Sure enough, it was as easy as the class video said it would be! Darned if I don’t love my premium membership. I can watch any class at any time. And while I don’t have a lot of time to watch the classes, they certainly are fun to flip through until I find one like this, that inspires me.
Since the cake is a combination of coffee and chocolate, I thought I’d use Kahlua instead of Whisky for the whipped cream. Sure enough, it tasted pretty good. I didn’t have the white chocolate and dark chocolate bars the curls called for, so I substituted your basic Hershey’s Milk chocolate and the curls came out just fine. I did small ones using my potato peeler. I’m nothing if not flexible when it comes to chocolate!
So whether watch one class, or become a premium member, Craftsy will fill up your afternoon with fun!
One of the most popular type of scones at Mocha Lisa Espresso Bar & Cafe were the White Chocolate Raspberry Scones. Filled with fresh raspberries, white chocolate, raspberry jam and a wee bit of butter, when they came out of the oven they would melt in your mouth. So without further ado (don’t you hate it when you have to scroll down 5 pages to get the recipe?), here is the recipe:*
2 lbs 5 oz All Purpose Flour
1/2 cup White Sugar
2 1/4 Tblsp. Baking Powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 lb. cold butter, cut into 1/2 chunks
3 cups White Chocolate Chips
3 Eggs
1 1/2 cups Milk (any type)
1/2 cup Raspberry Preserves (but any kind will do and you can use more than this)
1/2 cup Fresh Raspberries (frozen work just fine and I almost always add more!)
And here is how you make them…..ENJOY!
Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together in large mixing bowl. Add cold butter and mix only until pea sized lumps remain. Add white chocolate chips and mix just a few seconds. Add eggs and milk all at once and mix until dough just barely comes together (it will be scraggly). Place dough on floured board and cut into 4 mostly-equal pieces.** Shape the dough into four 6-9″ rounds.
Now you are going to basically form two “layer cakes.” On two of the rounds (the bottoms) spread the jam and then sprinkle berries to about 1/2″ – 1″ from the edge. Then place the other pieces (the tops) on top of the bottom pieces. Pinch the edges a bit so they come together along the outside edge so all the filling doesn’t fall out. Brush the top of each round with egg wash (1 egg + 1 Tblsp water).
You will now have two round piece with berries in the middle. Cut the scones into wedges like you are cutting a pie, depending on how big you want them 4, 6 or 8 wedges per round. Bake at about 375 degrees until just starting to get a little brown; depending on your oven this could be 18 – 25 minutes. If you use a convection oven, which we did at Mocha Lisa, it may take slightly less time. Adjust your oven temperature up or down, and your baking time up or down, to get the scones the look and taste (drier or moister) you prefer.
*And yes, this is a large recipe, but these scones freeze very well before baking, so you can always put half the recipe in the freezer wrapped up nicely. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before cutting and baking.
**Note: this can also be done in one large format, just making two round instead of the four.
This recipe can easily be adjusted, for example:
Add bacon instead of raspberries
Use blackberry jam or any other flavor of jam
Use mixed frozen berries if no fresh are available
If you are in the market for saffron or vanilla, I have found the best, freshest supply at Saffron Vanilla Imports in San Francisco. I have purchased multiple times over the years in order to make my Saffron Raisin Bread or my fresh chocolate truffles or ice cream, and these guys are the best. Nope, I’m not an affiliate, just a supporter!
After my last order, they included a note in the package asking for my help to spread the word about their business. So that’s what I’m doing! They are a small business, and as with all small businesses now, they need our help. So check them out if you are looking for high-quality saffron or vanilla in any form.
Towerhouse Quilts 