For Your Sunday Brunch: Buttermilk Scones With Saskatoon Berry Butter

Sunday morning is my favourite time of the week.  I have enough jam packed activity going on Monday - Saturday, but Sundays are mine to savour.   I sleep in a little, stay in the pajamas longer, and get caught up on any episodes of "Coronation Street" I may have missed throughout the week.  Did I just admit that I watch that long running British soap?  Guess I did.  I don't watch lots of TV, but "Corrie" and "TMZ" are really the only shows I tape.  Nope, I'm not a "Law and Order" kind of girl.  Bring on the celebrity smut and crazy Brit characters I love so much!  Sunday morning means I also like to bust out a pretty decent breakfast, be it waffles or pancakes or sometimes just hearty oatmeal with maple syrup and toasted pecans.  I brew up some English Breakfast in my polka dot tea pot, sit back and watch a little telly, or perch on a stool and read the paper in the sunlight streaming into my little green kitchen. Afterwards I'll maybe go for a hike, or take in a movie, or meet up with friends for coffee.  My mom has me over for Sunday dinner so I don't even have to cook if I don't want to!  Yes, I savour my Sundays.

 

When I worked in Edmonton at Rutherford House, I  made these scones almost every day the four and a half years I was there.  That's a lot of scones!  Scone making was how I started my work day, and there was something about the gentle kneading and rolling and cutting out shapes that eased me into my busy day.  The scones are light and fluffy and go perfectly with this Saskatoon Berry butter.  What is a Saskatoon Berry you say?  Well, it's native to the Western Canadian Prairies, not to be confused with the blueberry.  Saskatoons are deep deep purple and have a musky, almond-like sweetness.  They grow along river banks and coulees and I spent many a childhood summer day picking them (and eating them!). My mom and sister make fantastic jam and syrup, but they didn't make any last year so I'm out of my stash of that royal goodness.  Good thing I found the sweetest old couple at the farmer's market that makes really really good jam, almost as good as my mom's.  The berry butter is so easy and amazing, you'll wonder why you haven't  made it before.  Slathered on a warm scone, it's a little bit of heaven.

Buttermilk Scones

6 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
3 tbsp baking powder
dash salt
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup butter, cut into cubes
6 eggs
1 3/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350*F
In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients.  Cut in the cold butter with a pastry blender.  In another bowl, beat the eggs, add the buttermilk and cream, vanilla.  Add the wet to the dry and stir just to combine.  Form into a ball, and knead a few times.  Roll out to 1/2 " thickness.  Cut out round shapes with a cookie cutter or glass.  Arrange on bake sheet, sprinkle some coarse sugar if you like.  Bake at 350*F for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.  Makes about 24 scones.  These freeze very well.

For the Berry Butter
1/2 cup softened butter, salted or unsalted, your choice
1/2 cup saskatoon berry jam, or any other jam you like.  Raspberry, blueberry, strawberry, the choice is yours!
In a mixer, or by hand, whip the softened butter and jam together, until very fluffy.  That's all you do!  Keeps well in the fridge, but given its deliciousness, it won't be there long.
Both recipes adapted from The Arbour Restaurant in Rutherford House.