Rhubarb Ginger Scones

Since I hardly ever use rhubarb, it feels special to me whenever I do. So when I saw that rhubarb was looking good at the store and it was also my husband's birthday coming up, I thought this would make a nice breakfast treat. I decided to add a little ginger for a very subtle kick and it was just right - a little tart and a little sweet (not too much). I'm sure it would be lovely with tea. Of course I'll never know because I don't really like tea. That's right, I'm the freak who doesn't like tea. (You're questioning my taste in everything now, aren't you?)

RHUBARB-GINGER SCONES

Makes 12-16

3 stalks rhubarb, sliced ¼-inch thick

1/2 cup vanilla sugar

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

2/3 to 3/4 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger (or more to taste)

1.      Preheat oven to 425º F.

2.      Toss the sliced rhubarb with 3 tablespoons of the sugar.

3.      Sift flour, baking powder and salt together in large bowl or bowl of food processor.

4.      Cut butter into flour mixture by hand (or pulse with food processor) until butter is the size of small peas.

5.      Blend in 1/4 cup of the sugar.

6.      Blend in the ginger and sliced rhubarb. (If using the food processor, just pulse — you want the slices left mostly intact.)

7.      Blend in cream until a soft dough forms. (Note: you may need to add more than 2/3 cup depending on the weather, etc.)

8.      Transfer dough to floured surface and divide in half. To make triangular scones, flatten into 6-inch disks and cut each circle into 6-8 scones. Sprinkle with remaining sugar.

9.      Arrange on ungreased cookie sheet and bake about 20 minutes or until reddish-brown on top.

barely adapted from food52.com (submitted by Midge)

rhubarb

vanilla sugar

To make vanilla sugar, just scrape the seeds from a few
vanilla beans into some sugar (I don't use exact amounts,
maybe 3 beans to 2 cups sugar). Then add the pods too. Cover
and let sit for at least a month (shake every once in a while).

crystallized ginger

rhubarb and vanilla sugar

adding butter to the flour mixture

adding vanilla sugar (the mixing will
separate those little clumps of vanilla seeds)

adding the ginger and rhubarb

pouring in the cream

dough mixed

2 dough circles

cut into triangles

raw

sprinkled with vanilla sugar

rhubarb-ginger scones

.