When my book club met to discuss The Secret, Book, & Scone Society, we also had to have snacks and not just any snacks we needed to have scones! Why scones? Because in the novel one of the characters, Hester, is a baker and makes comfort scones. These scones are based on what she thinks her patrons will be comforted by.
“I just ate the most amazing scone at the Gingerbread House, but the baker said the recipe couldn’t be duplicated because her scones are based on people’s fondest memories. She told me that she uses a basic recipe and adds certain ingredients after talking to each customer.” “That’s what I’ve heard as well,” Nora said.”
The Secret, Book, and Scone Society by Ellery Adams
Hester makes quite a few scones in this mystery but I decided to go with a peppermint chocolate one as she makes that for the character who gets murdered, as his death is the catalyst that brings our ladies together and what forms the The Secret, Book, and Scone Society
“Even though he ordered a comfort scone, I sensed that he didn’t think he was worthy of comfort. He seemed weighed down by guilt. When people with an untroubled conscience enter my bakery, their faces light up like a Christmas-tree star. If they’ve come to Miracle Springs to seek relief from cancer or arthritis pain or what-have-you, they still glow with that firefly light when the aroma of fresh-baked bread envelops them. That scent speaks of coming home…but this guy’s lips were practically zippered closed. I decided it would take a powerful flavor combination to coax a good memory to the surface, so I went out on a limb and chose a wintery recipe: Peppermint mocha.”
The Secret, Book, and Scone Society by Ellery Adams
As Hester doesn’t give an exact recipe, I went looking online and found this Peppermint Scone recipe from Domestically Blissful. In The Secret, Book, and Scone Society Hester mentions putting mocha in her scones, I don’t like mocha so I chose a recipe without it.
Ingredients for Scones:
- 2 & 3/4 Cups Flour + Extra for Stickiness
- 1/2 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 1/4 Cup Sugar
- 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1 Pinch of Salt
- 1/2 Cup of Cold Butter
- ½ Cup Half & Half
- ½ Cup + 3 Tablespoons French Vanilla Creamer
- 1 Teaspoon Peppermint Extract
- 2 Tablespoons French Vanilla Creamer, optional
Ingredients for Icing
- 2–3 Tablespoons French Vanilla Creamer
- 1 Dash Peppermint Extract
- 1 Cup Powdered Sugar
- 1–2 Candy Canes, crushed
INSTRUCTIONS
- First, preheat your oven to 400° degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a bowl sift together 2 & 3/4 cups flour, 1/2 cup cocoa powder, 1/4 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1 pinch of salt.
- Use a cheese grater to crumble 1/2 cup of butter into the dry ingredients.
- Then stir the butter crumbles into the dry ingredients.
- Next, make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the 1/2 cup of half & half, ½ cup + 3 tablespoons French vanilla creamer, and 1 teaspoon peppermint extract.
- Stir until combined and then form the dough into a ball.
- Flatten with your hands and fold the dough in half. Repeat this process 3-4 more times to create layers.
- Roll the dough out so that it is 2-3 inches tall then use a biscuit cutter to cut the dough into scones.
- Place the scones on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and brush the top of each scone with French vanilla creamer.
- Place the scones in your preheated oven and bake your scones for 12-17 minutes.
- Let cool slightly and then top them with peppermint icing created by mixing 2-3 tablespoons of French vanilla creamer, 1 dash peppermint extract, and 1 cup powdered sugar to your desired thickness.
- Before the icing hardens, sprinkle crushed candy cane on top of each scone.
These were absolutely delicious! We all loved them and were very comforted as we discussed our book. As we met in February or discuss this book, I had plenty of candy canes left to go on top.
For more scones, go to Sweet Cream Scones
For more recipes, go to Brown Butter Matcha Brownies
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