With Valentine’s fast approaching we should discuss the sexiest meal of the day – brunch. Brunch not only means you stayed over but you also slept in and are in no hurry to go home. Start the morning after right with theses cherry hazelnut scones and a sparkling marionberry cocktail.
Both of these recipes are Oregon inspired. The cherry hazelnut scones incorporate Oregon’s state nut plus everyone knows how good the Oregon and Washington’s cherries taste. Hazelnuts are called filberts in Oregon. The hazelnuts/filberts were actually a gift from on of Mark’s patient families. This is what happens when you practice medicine in an agricultural state.
Marionberries are a type of blackberry and are named for Marion county – the county in which they are developed. They are awesome and have a recurring role in many Oregon berry dishes and a Portlandia episode or two. For our brunch cocktail we used a Marion Blackberry (Marionberry) Liqueur from Clear Creek Distillery in Portland. This sparkling cocktail is a spin on the traditional Kir Royale made with cassis and sparkling wine.
And we have to share this hazelnut tip. While these tasty nuggets are very high on our hierarchy of favorite nuts they are a pain the nuts to peel. That is until we learned a wonderful tip from Wicked Good Kitchen who learned a tip from Julia Child’s cooking show. It involves boiling the nuts in water and baking soda. The skins then slip right off – voila! Julia’s video is below and is a little long but fun to watch. Or for a quicker explanation with pictures click Wicked Good Kitchen’s How to Easily Peel (Blanch) Hazelnuts.
- 1 cup flour
- 3½ Tbs. sugar
- 1½ tsp. baking powder
- ¼ tsp. cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
- 3 Tbs cold unsalted butter
- ¼ cup + 2 Tbs. heavy cream
- 1 large egg yolk
- ½ tsp vanilla
- ⅓ cup chopped hazelnuts
- ⅓ cup dried cherries
- cinnamon sugar mix
- Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
- Cut butter into small pieces and work into dry ingredients with a pastry blender or two knives
- In a separate bowl combine ¼ cup cream, egg yolk, and vanilla.
- Add the wet to the dry and combine gently to form a dough. Add more cream if necessary.
- Place dough on floured surface and gently mix in nuts and cherries using your hands.
- Form a circle with the dough and slice into six wedges.
- Sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture on scones.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and bake 15 minutes at 400 degrees F.
- Sparkling wine - to make it an Oregon drink consider Argyle, Kramer, etc
- Marionberry Blackberry Liqueur from Clear Creek Distillery
- Add 1 tsp of liqueur to a flute and fill the remainder of the flute with your favorite sparkling wine.
I love scones but can’t say I’ve ever gone cherry. Lucky to live in such an agricultural area
Yum! I could see these scones working with bits of figs or dates too (though the cherries look great). Hazelnuts are a big thing in Piemonte, I should make these!
What a great tip. Amazing how somethings so simple can make such a big difference. The scones look so delicious. Mike loves scones, but I have never made them. I might just have to try these!
Your post brings back some found memories. I used to buy marionberry ice cream years ago for a special someone. It was difficult to try down, but on so tasty! The scones and marionberry “mimosa” looks like a great pairing!