Boursin’s story began in 1957, in a small Normandy village, located in France, when cheese maker François Boursin set up a factory producing soft cheese. At that time, he had no idea his name would become internationally famous.
Boursin Garlic & Herbs was launched in 1963 and quickly became a household name across France. Sixty years later, the original recipe remains unchanged and food lovers in more than 35 countries have spread their passion for Boursin all around the world. Perfect on bread, as appetizers or in a creamy sauce for main or side dishes. Since 2011, Boursin has been made in Canada in St. Hyacinthe, Québec, by Agropur, the Canadian dairy co-operative, for Bel Cheese Canada, the Canadian arm of Bel Group, the France-based multinational.
There are seven flavors of Boursin Cheese sold in Canada: Garlic & Fine Herbs, Shallot & Chive, Bouquet of Basil & Chive, Cranberry & Pepper, Cracked Black Pepper, Fig & Balsamic, Apple & Maple.
Boursin is sometimes dubbed a Gournay cheese, Gournay being the name of the region in Normandy where Boursin was first made. The cheesemaker used the name when he was first asked to classify the cheese for customs purposes.
Today, I’m making a simple little dessert using some crescent dough with some Apple Maple Boursin. The apple flavor and the silkiness of maple syrup perfectly complement Boursin’s incomparable texture along with some apples, dates and pepita seeds. The whole combination creates an exceptional sweet and savory cheese pairing with minimal effort.
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Apple Maple Boursin Crescents
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Instructions
Filling
In a saucepan, melt butter. Add prepared apples & sauté until they start to soften, about 10 minutes. Add spices, honey & dates. Combine & cook for another minute. Remove from heat & allow to cool to lukewarm.
Topping
In a small dish combine pepitas, sugar & cinnamon. Set aside.
Pastry
In a medium bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder & salt. With a pastry blender, cut in cream cheese & shortening until mixture resembles coarse peas. Stir in milk. On a lightly floured work surface, knead dough gently 20 times.
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Roll out dough into a 12 X 8-INCH rectangle. Cut into 8 triangles. Crumble Boursin in a dish then divide into 8 equal portions.
Top each triangle with a portion of the Boursin. Divide apple filling into 8 equal amounts then top each triangle with a portion of apple filling.
Roll each triangle up 'croissant" style. Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Combine egg & water to make egg wash & brush some over each roll. Sprinkle with prepared topping.
Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven & place on a wire rack to cool.
Recipe Notes
• Alternately you could use refrigerated crescent rolls to speed up the process if you wish.
French toast is a breakfast staple for the ages. It has a long history and is eaten in many forms all over the world. It is often enjoyed much like we usually serve it, but many countries give it a local twist. In India, savory French toast with spices, green chili, chopped onions, and salt is popular. Scottish French toast is often served with sausage between two slices like a sandwich. In Hong Kong, French toast doubles as a decadent peanut butter sandwich. New Zealand French toast is enjoyed with bananas, bacon, cinnamon, and maple syrup. Creole French toast kicks it up a notch — the milk and egg soaking mixture is spiked with alcohol, often whiskey.
When you hear the word ‘cornbread,’ what comes to mind? The next question is ‘have you ever tried cornbread French toast’? Over the years I’ve made a lot of different versions of French toast and cornbread, but I’ve never combined the two. Although cornbread might be considered simple and dated, it is the cornerstone of soul food. I’ve always been a cornbread fan. Undeniably, I love it! The smell and taste of fresh cornbread are definitely nostalgic for me.
Traditional cornbread is a quick bread leavened with baking powder, but this loaf is leavened with yeast. It works like all other yeast breads, mixed and kneaded by hand or a stand mixer, and left to rise and ferment before being shaped and eventually baked.
Unlike traditional quick bread, this yeast-based version rises beautifully, creating a light yet sturdy loaf with a golden crust.
Using cornbread for making French toast today, turned out to be amazing! There’s something so comforting about thick slices of egg-soaked bread cooked on a hot griddle, making the outside golden and crispy while its custard-like inside stays soft and rich.
Whether you’re in the mood for a simple slice of toast or a sandwich loaded with your favorite meats and vegetables, this bread will elevate your meal, believe me.
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Cornbread French Toast
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Instructions
Cornbread
In a small saucepan, combine milk, 1 tablespoons butter & salt. Over medium heat, bring to a simmer. It's ok if the butter does not completely melt. Remove from heat. Slowly whisk in cornmeal, stirring until smooth. Stir in honey. Set this cornmeal mixture aside to cool.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine brown sugar & yeast in water. Stir to dissolve. Let stand until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes. Add eggs, cooled cornmeal mixture & 1/2- 3/4 cup flour. Beat at medium speed for about 2 minutes. Stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. As soon as the dough pulls away from the pan, stop adding flour.
Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead dough 8 to 10 minutes or until smooth & elastic. Place dough in greased bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover with a slightly damp towel. Let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
When risen, punch down dough; knead 30 seconds. Grease a 9”x5” loaf pan. Sprinkle 1 1/2 tsp cornmeal over bottom and sides of each pan. Shape dough into a loaf & place in prepared pan. Allow to rise 30 to 45 minutes, or until doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 375 F. Slash top of loaf as desired. Brush with melted butter; sprinkle with remaining cornmeal. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until bread sounds hollow when tapped on bottom. Remove loaf from pan. Cool on a wire rack.
French Toast
In a small bowl, combine the milk, eggs, cinnamon & brown sugar. Whisk until well combined. Slice cornbread
Heat a non-stick griddle to a medium-low heat. Lightly butter the griddle. Carefully dip the cornbread into the egg mixture, gently shake off the excess & place on griddle. Don't allow the cornbread to soak in the mixture - just a quick dip.
Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, adjusting the temperature to keep it from burning. Repeat until all cornbread has been cooked, adding additional butter if necessary. Hold the other pieces in a warm oven to keep them warm.
Serve with bacon & poached eggs or maple syrup, fresh berries & a sprinkling of powdered sugar.
CELEBRATING GOOD FRIDAY!
Here’s a savory twist on the classic Easter hot cross bun you might enjoy!
One of the food items I love most about the Easter season is . . . Hot Cross Buns! Although they are generally available all year round now it seems, Brion & I prefer to reserve them for an Easter treat. I think when something becomes an everyday thing it loses its ‘specialness’.
The tradition of marking buns with a cross on the top goes a long way back in time. Pagon Saxons baked cross buns at this time of year to mark the beginning of spring, in honor of their god Eostre. The cross was representative of the four seasons along with the four quarters of the moon, the wheel of life and a rebirth of the earth after the long winter. Christians adapted the cross when an Anglican monk baked the buns and marked them with a cross in honor of Good Friday. The buns were usually served on Good Friday, marking the end of Lent and the spices are said to represent the spices used to embalm the Savior after his crucifixion.
Every year at this time, I enjoy making some version of hot cross buns or bread. Generally, I stick to the sweet kinds but this year I thought I’d take it to the savory side. These avocado, bacon & egg hot cross buns are just the thing to kick off an excellent Easter brunch.
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Bacon & Egg Hot Cross Buns
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Ingredients
Other Ingredients to Assemble Brunch Buns
Ingredients
Other Ingredients to Assemble Brunch Buns
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Instructions
Buns
In a small bowl, combine warm milk, sugar & yeast. Let it sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, garlic powder & dried herbs. Mix well.
Add the yeast mixture, melted butter & beaten egg to the dry ingredients. Mix until a dough forms. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a kitchen towel & let it rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours until doubled in size.
Punch down the dough & divide it into 8 equal portions. Flatten each portion & place a cube of cheese in the center. Fold the dough over the cheese & shape into a ball. Place the buns on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with a kitchen towel & let them rise for another 30 minutes.
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In a small bowl, mix flour & water to make a paste. Transfer the paste to a piping bag or a plastic bag with a small corner cut off. Pipe a cross shape on top of each bun with the flour paste.
Bake the buns for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven & brush buns with melted butter. Allow the buns to cool for a few minutes before serving.
Assemble Bacon & Egg Buns
Grate cheese & slice tomato or ready tomato sauce.
On a griddle, fry bacon until it is beginning to crisp. Blot bacon on paper towels then set aside to keep warm.
Slice buns in half & LIGHTLY butter cut sides. Wipe excess bacon drippings off griddle then place buns on it to toast lightly. Remove to serving platter & keep warm. Place 8 eggs on the griddle & cook just until whites are set.
Top each toasted bun base with an egg, bacon, cheese, sauce (or tomato slice) & avocado slices. Season with salt & pepper. Sandwich with bun tops & serve.
Recipe Notes
• Alternately, if there is no time for making the savory hot cross buns from scratch, purchased ones will work just as well.
ENJOYING SHROVE TUESDAY!
Today, February 17th is Shrove Tuesday. The date can be anytime between February 3rd & March 9th. It is exactly 47 days before Easter Sunday, based on the cycles of the moon.
For centuries, the consumption of pancakes has widely been regarded as a popular way to celebrate Shrove Tuesday, which takes place the day before Ash Wednesday in preparation for Lent. However, the day is celebrated in a variety of ways around the world with many different foods.
The final day before Lent has many meanings, both spiritual and practical. The spiritual purpose of Shrove Tuesday is to take stock of the year and determine what things one must bear in mind during repentance.
Practically speaking, Shrove Tuesday is the last day before the great ‘fast’ of Lent. As a result, many would take it as an opportunity to have a final feast and party. Because this holiday marked the last day to use up one’s stocks of fats and eggs, a British tradition was born –Pancake Tuesday. Pancakes make use of ingredients that were banned during Lent and would spoil before its end.
Although many traditions of the past have gone by the wayside, whether you know its history or not, Pancake Tuesday seems to still be a ‘thing’.
I’m sure you are probably quite familiar with the Dutch Baby or German pancake. I have featured them on the blog numerous times over the years.
A cross between a pancake and a crepe, a Dutch baby begins with the thin pancake-like batter which is poured into a hot skillet or an oven proof dish. When the edges of the pancake are brown, it is ready to come out of the oven. The center is perfect for adding sweet or savory ingredients.
Brion & I eat pancakes regularly and enjoy them whether they are sweet or savory versions. As always, I can’t resist a different combination, so today we are having some baked pancakes with pears & cardamom. Yum!
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Baked Pancake w/ Pears & Cardamom
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Instructions
Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a 10" cast iron (or other oven proof) skillet. Toss in sliced pears, cardamom, lemon juice & sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pears are tender & the sugars are beginning to caramelize, anywhere from 10-20 minutes.
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Combine flour & salt in a large bowl, make a well & add eggs. Whisk to combine, adding the milk a little at a time until batter is smooth. Whisk in vanilla & 2 Tbsp melted butter.
Pour the batter into the hot pan over the pears & place it in the oven.
Bake until golden & dramatically puffed, about 30 minutes.
Dust with powdered sugar & cut into wedges. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
This baked pancake is good reheated or eaten cold should there be any leftovers.
Brion & I really enjoyed this pear pancake with some sausage & eggs on the side for a nice sweet/savory meal.
While the ingredients for breakfast sandwiches have been common elements of breakfast meals in the English-speaking world for centuries, it wasn’t until the 19th century in the United States that people began regularly eating eggs, cheese and meat in a sandwich. The first known published recipe for a ‘breakfast sandwich’ appeared in an 1897 American cookbook.
‘Baked egg boats’ became popular almost a decade ago and have been duplicated in many ways ever since! Basically, a quiche that uses a hollowed-out baguette as its base instead of a buttery pie crust. The egg filling is poured into the hollowed-out baguette and baked until the eggs have set, and the baguette is toasted.
This breakfast recipe can be scaled up to feed a larger crowd and is also very portable with endless variations and possibilities! It’s a simple, versatile breakfast at its best!
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Bacon & Egg Breakfast Boats
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Instructions
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With a knife, cut out the middle of each baguette, making sure not to cut through the bottom. Take the cut part out. You should end up with a boat-like shape. The empty space should be deep enough & wide enough for filling.
Place baguettes onto a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs with a fork. Add in cherry tomatoes, green onion, half of the shredded cheese, bacon, salt, pepper and oregano. Mix well. Pour the mixture into the hollowed-out center of both baguettes.
Transfer the tray into the oven & bake at 325 F. for 30 minutes or until eggs are set & puffed. Remove from oven & sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake for another 5 minutes.
Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.
There’s nothing earth shattering or insanely unique about a frittata. It’s not trendy or cool but if you master the art of this versatile throw together dish it can help make your life a whole lot easier. That’s because there is virtually no time of day that this eggy filled, no-advance-planning-necessary, favorite doesn’t work.
Frittatas are great because they’re a little less fussy than omelets – no delicate folding required. Unlike its cousin, the strata (which typically includes layers of bread and gets all puffed up like a soufflé), a frittata is rustic, hearty and simple to prepare. A good comparison would be a crustless quiche, with the inclusion of potatoes to make it extra satisfying.
When we eat it for breakfast, we call it a baked omelet, when we eat it for dinner, we call it frittata. But either way, it’s perfect in the way that you can vary the vegetables and meat in this dish to use up whatever you have on hand.
The sweetness of the apples and onions nicely complements the ground pork and bacon in this frittata.
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Pork, Apple & Cheddar Baked Frittata
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Instructions
Cook potatoes & dice; set aside.
In a large skillet, fry bacon until slightly crispy. Drain the bacon on paper towels & set aside, reserving one Tbsp. of the bacon drippings.
Add onion to skillet with bacon drippings. Sauté until tender then add ground pork & Italian seasoning. Cook until pork is no longer pink & most of the moisture has evaporated. Add grated apple, bacon and salt & pepper to taste. Cook for another 5 minutes.
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Spray a 9 x 9-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Spread the bottom of the dish with the cooked, diced potatoes.
In a medium bowl, whisk eggs & add sautéed mixture along with half of the cheese. Pour the mixture into the baking dish & sprinkle evenly with the rest of the cheese.
Place the baking dish in the oven & bake until the eggs are golden & puffy & a fork comes out clean when inserted into the center, about 25-30 minutes.
Let frittata cool for 5-10 minutes & then cut into squares. Serve immediately or at room temperature.
The combination of mincemeat with pancakes and orange sauce is typically enjoyed as a festive twist on traditional breakfast fare during the Christmas holidays. The orange flavor is a natural fit, as many modern mincemeat recipes incorporate orange as a key flavor.
Mincemeat originated in medieval England and the Middle East as a method for preserving meat using a mixture of minced meat, suet, fruits, and expensive spices like cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. The spices helped to show off wealth and disguise the flavor of older meat. Over centuries, the meat content in mincemeat gradually decreased, replaced by more fruit and suet. By the end of the 19th century, meat was a rare inclusion, and the dish fully transitioned from a savory main course to the sweet Christmas dessert we know today.
You might wonder what mincemeat is good for besides mince pies (or just eating with a spoon). You can stir it into a cobbler; add a cup to a muffin recipe; heat it up and spread it on your weekend pancakes or waffles; or use it in place of dates in a date square recipe. You could even serve it on a cheese plate as a very seasonal chutney.
I realize mincemeat isn’t for everyone but if you do care for it, these pancakes with orange butter sauce are well worth a try.
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Mincemeat Pancakes w/ Orange Butter Sauce
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Instructions
Orange Butter Sauce
Place the sugar, water & orange zest in a pan & bring to the boil, let it bubble & froth for 1 minute on a medium heat, then turn down the heat to low & stir in the butter until melted. Leave on a very low heat until ready to serve.
Pancakes
Place the milk and mincemeat in a large bowl and stir to combine.
Add flour, baking powder, sugar, egg, vanilla extract & salt. Use a whisk to mix until combined.
Pour ¼ tbsp. oil in a large skillet, then wipe around with a kitchen towel to cover the pan. Heat the pan on a medium heat until hot. Pour in enough mixture to make three pancakes (approx. ¼ cup of mix per pancake). Turn the pancakes over when bubbles form on top & then burst, & the edges start to look firm (about 1-2 minutes). Cook on the other side for another 1-2 minutes. Repeat with the rest of the mixture - oiling the pan each time - until all the pancakes are cooked (keep the pancakes warm in a very low oven while you’re making each batch).
Assembly
Stack 3 pancakes on each plate. Top each stack with orange segments, butter sauce & whipped cream.
The humble bagel, with its distinctive round shape and chewy texture, has a rich and diverse history. The bagel’s roots trace back to 17th-century Poland, where Jewish bakers crafted these circular breads. Anti-Semitic laws restricted Polish Jews from baking regular bread, leading them to create an alternative: the bagel. To circumvent the restrictions, they boiled the dough before baking it, resulting in the characteristic chewiness. Bagels were initially plain, but over time, they evolved into various flavors and toppings.
While traditional bread pudding recipes rely on stale bread cubes, bagels offer a unique twist that elevates this classic dessert to new heights. Over time, variations have emerged across different countries and despite its reputation as ‘poor man’s pudding,’ bread pudding remains a tasty and comforting dessert.
In 2015, ‘The Taste of a Memory’, a memorabilia/cookbook I wrote as a tribute to my wonderful parents, was published. It contained a compilation of stories, articles, recipes and reflections that evoke an intimate memory, a special time period and fond emotion brought about by the aroma and taste of food. Writing them down not only put them in print but allowed me to take a mental journey back to a gentler time.
The book contains over 160 bread pudding recipes – savory, sweet, specialty & low calorie as well as sauces, nutritional information, personal stories, reflections & treasured family photos.
This onion bagel & Brie bread pudding adds such an ‘upscale’ twist to a morning brunch.
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Onion Bagel & Brie Bread Pudding
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Instructions
Spray an 11 x 7-inch ceramic/glass baking dish with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, beat eggs & milk. Add remaining ingredients; mix well. Pour into baking dish. Cover & refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
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Uncover dish & bake 50-55 minutes or until golden brown & center is set.
The other day Brion & I were in a ‘Winners’ store and were looking through the gourmet food section. A couple of Pol’s Gourmet Preserves caught our attention. One was the Strawberry Chia Preserve. The preserve combines ripe strawberries with chia seeds, date juice, and lemon juice, cooked in vacuum boilers. It is marketed as a healthy and natural product with a focus on natural flavor and consistency. Pol’s utilizes vacuum technology to maintain the strawberries’ natural qualities during the cooking process. They also emphasize the use of natural base ingredients and the absence of additives beyond the natural components.
We purchased a jar even though I wasn’t sure at the time what I would use it for since neither of us use a lot of preserves on toast. Of course, it didn’t take long to find a way to incorporate it into a recipe.
I have childhood memories of my mother making an orange bread loaf. I always thought it was so unique because it used the fresh orange zest from two whole oranges. The flavor was so distinct along with the bread being wonderfully moist. This recipe was one that has remained with me over the years, long after I had left my parents’ home. I used it numerous times over the years in my food service career in different applications.
Today I decided to swirl some of this interesting preserve into my mother’s orange bread loaf and the flavor was even better than I thought it would be. This orange loaf recipe is perfect for when you need a make-ahead dessert. I like it even more on the second day because the orange aroma (and flavor) becomes even more vibrant.
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Orange Bread w/ Strawberry Chia Preserves
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Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter or line an 8" x 4" x 3-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
Peel oranges thinly & finely chop peel. Boil with sugar & water for 10 minutes: cool. Pour into a large bowl & add egg & butter.
In a small bowl, combine flour, salt & baking powder. Add dry mixture to wet mixture alternately with milk.
Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Top with dollops of strawberry preserve. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, swirl preserve into batter making sure not to over stir so it creates a marbled effect.
Bake for about 45 minutes or until bread tests done. Remove from oven & cool on wire rack. As I mentioned in the blog, the bread tastes better the second day if you can wait that long to try it.
I’ve probably posted at least twenty different kinds of scones on the blog over the years, but I had yet to make scones using chai ‘liqueur’.
There are many recipes using chai spices such as cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg and anise. I wanted to incorporate the actual liqueur in these scones as well to pop up the flavor a bit more.
And while most fruits pair well with chai, some may have a delicate flavor that won’t taste great with the various spices in chai. When selecting these fruits, always go for dried options such as raisins, prunes, dates, apricots, figs, and peaches.
These scones make an excellent choice for breakfast or as an afternoon snack this time of year.
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Apricot Chai Liqueur Scones
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Instructions
Scones
Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a food processor, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Place in a large bowl.
In a small bowl combine egg, chai liqueur & sour cream. Add wet mixture to flour mixture along with the apricots. Stir ONLY until combined. Do NOT overmix.
Divide dough in half. Using a spatula scrape each piece of dough onto the parchment paper on the baking sheet. Dip the spatula in flour, then flatten each piece of dough to about 1-inch in height as well as forming it in a circle shape. Cut each round into 8 wedges.
Bake scones for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from baking sheet. Recut the scones. Cool slightly on wire rack.
Icing
Using a mixer, combine cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, chai liqueur & milk. Beat on low speed, gradually increasing to high until light & fluffy. Pipe over scones.
Recipe Notes
The amount of sugar used in these scones is what you prefer personally. I only used the 1/3 cup which makes them nice to serve with coffee.
