Madeleines and love and scones

Dear Joanne,

I'm finally back in SF. This week was so much fun. I'm so glad I got to spend so much time with you!

Thank you for the madeleines and the fish pastry from Silver Moon Bakery. I ate the entire fish pastry at about 7am, I was so hungry. It was delicious, flaky pastry with an apricot glaze. It wasn't until I woke up again at around 10, covered in crumbs, that I realized what I'd done. So no photos. Whoops. (I regret nothing!!!!!!!!)

Now that I'm back, my goal for today is to GET IT TOGETHER, GIRLFRIEND. That's what my to-do list says at the top of it. Yes, the first bullet says, "shower". I did that already, accomplished woman that I am. 

I just ate my second breakfast, those madeleines you got me for the plane. They smell delicious, like sugar and butter and vanilla. The crumb is so soft and delicate. I miss them already.

I'm spending Easter weekend at home with my family, so I'm making some orange scones in memory of the ones that I got from Silver Moon Bakery.


Orange Almond Scones

Ingredients

Zest of 1/2 of an orange
1/2 of an orange, segmented, roughly chopped
1/4 cup butter, softened
 1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tbs cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup almonds, or whatever nut you have on hand, toasted (optional)
1/4 cup dried fruit (I used dried cranberries)

About 1 tbsp milk or water

Preheat oven to 375F. Mix flour, orange zest, salt, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix in butter until the bits are like wet sand. How do they say it in normal recipes? Like cornmeal? Mix until you can't distinguish butter from other stuff. Add orange segments. You want the juice to seep into the flour. Mix in almonds and dried fruit. Add milk and fold until it all comes together.

You can shape these however you want. I just put the entire lump of dough into the pan and then cut it into segments. That's how I roll.

Throw into the oven, bake until your sister says, "I think it's done." Your sister is wrong. Leave it one minute longer. (About 20-25 minutes).


As a bonus, my sister taking pictures for her instagram: