Therbsday: Saffron Scones

The hands featured in these recipes and those that follow are of my beautiful roommate, close confidante and soul whisperer – Miz Elle Toro. She didn’t know she’d be taking part in the project but I have found it physically impossible to both crush, whip, grate and stir AND take the pictures. So I offer her golden, saffron crusted Thanks for helping me record Therbsdays.

Ingredients: 1/2 Tsp Saffron Threads – 1/2 C Buttermilk – 2 Lg Eggs – 3/4C Butter – 2 C All-Purpose Flour – 1/2 C Sugar – 2 Tsp Baking Powder – 1 Tsp Baking Soda – 1/4 Tsp Salt – 1/3 C Dried Cherries

Instructions: Crush the saffron threads to a fine powder and add to the buttermilk and eggs. Whisk until blended. Set aside. Melt 4 Tblsp of the butter and aside to cool.
Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Cut in the rest of the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in the cherries. Add saffron/buttermilk mixture. Stir until soft, sticky dough forms. (This can be placed in a covered container and refrigerated for a few days, or frozen for later use. Return to room temp before continuing).
On a well floured surface, knead the dough once or twice very lightly. Roll the dough into an 8″ square, about 1/2″ thick. Cut into 4 squares. Cut each square into 4 triangles = 16 triangles total. Place the trainagles on a baking sheet about an 1″ apart and brush with the reserved butter.
Or you can do as Elle Toro and I did, we simply dropped the dough into greased muffin tins and let’em bake. I also had considered turning these into drop biscuits.
Bake the scones in the upper-middle rack of a 350 degree oven for 12-15 minutes, until lightly browned and firm to the touch. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store in an airtight container for up to a week, or freeze for up to two months.

** It should be noted that I turned these “scones” into biscuit/cupcakes for easability. I baked them at a friends Fried Chicken party and they turned out just beautifully. These are flexible scones. Also I apologize for the shoddy photos. I was on my way to drunk while handling the camera. **

Saffron

In India and Greece, Saffron is considered a powerful aphrodisiac, so powerful it could cause a woman to swoon with passion.

The history of saffron cultivation reaches back more than 3,000 years.

Saffron-based pigments have been found in 50,000 year-old depictions of prehistoric beasts in what is today Iraq. Later, the Sumerians used wild-growing saffron in their remedies and magical potions

Saffron’s aroma is often described by connoisseurs as reminiscent of metallic honey with grassy or hay-like notes, while its taste has also been noted as hay-like and sweet. Saffron also contributes a luminous yellow-orange colouring to foods.

Studies show that saffron may protect the eyes from the direct effects of bright light and retinal stress apart from slowing down macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa.

A pound (454 grams) of dry saffron requires 50,000–75,000 flowers

Tags: cooking, food, herbs, photography, therbsday