Mother's day - I need some inspiration!

[Medusa]

I am currently planning the mother's day for my mum, and I hit a wall! I've got the 4-course-dinner chosen, the breakfast planned... My problem is that I want to do something different for tea this time, because every year I do the same for tea, for her birthday and mother's day: my brownies, one apple or raspberry pie, one sort of cookies and one sort of muffins. And I can't do muffins for tea, because I already planned muffins for the breakfast.

Any ideas what I could do? What do you do for tea on mother's day?

 

[dorispulaski]

Maybe she'd like some holiday scones?

The following recipe for scones works well, and has the virtue of being easy. :

Doris 's Holiday Scones
Mix dry ingredients:
2 3/4 c. unbleached white flour (like King Arthur)
1/3 c. white sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp baking powder
Cut butter into dry ingredients
1/2 c. (4 oz or one stick) butter (not marg.)
mix into flour
3/4 c. white raisins or other dried fruits (I like white
raisins in this)
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 c. milk
some mixed cinnamon and sugar for topping

Preheat oven to 425F, Lightly butter your pan with butter wrapper from stick of butter.

If you have a scone pan, use it, This makes 8 scones
If you don't, it makes 12 muffins. Grease muffin pan, do not use paper liners.

Or drop 12 drop biscuit-like spots on a cookie sheet. Grease sheet first.

Or pat out a 9" circle on a cookie sheet and cut into eighths (This actually works very well)

Mixing directions:

In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

Cut into the flour mixture, 1 stick of cold butter not too small, about
the size of little peas, or scones will be mealy, not flaky. Use a pastry cutter if you have one, or 2 table knives. Then stir in your raisins so they are coated with flour mixture.

In a separate bowl, whisk or beat together the 2 eggs, the milk, and the vanilla.

Add the liquid mixture to the flour mixture. Stir until all is moistened
and the dough holds together. (Don't beat or overmix)

Spoon into your 12 muffin cups or 8 slots in scone pan, etc. splitting batter up evenly between them.

Sprinkle some cinnamon sugar mixture on each, if you like cinnamon sugar.

Bake 15 to 18 minutes. 15 for muffin pans, longer for scone pan is what I use.

Let cool 5 minutes before removing from pan. These are best warm.

Variations:

If you don't like cinnamon sugar, you can make a glaze for them instead, (but I don't use a glaze.)

Glaze:

Stir together:
1 c. confectioner's sugar
1 Tbsp lemon or orange zest (orange with the white raisins)
1 tsp vanilla or other flavoring if you prefer

Add a bit at a time 3 to 4 tsp orange juice, water or milk
until glaze is drizzling consistency. Put glaze on scones just after you remove them from pan and let glaze set 15 min before serving.

 

[Medusa]

Thank you very much, it sounds great. And my mum loved the scones when we were in Scotland last year.

 

[dorispulaski]

They also work well with fresh blueberries instead of the raisins, but on balance, I like the white raisins best

But for blueberries, absolutely go with the cinnamon sugar mixture.

 

[antmanb]

Those sconse sound amazing!

You could try for an english afternoon tea type set up with some sandwiches, tea, scones with clotted cream and jam?!

Ant

 

[dorispulaski]

If you'd like something a little different to go with the scones, this works:

Make or buy some nice lemon curd (if you substitute 2 whole eggs for 4 of the egg yolks, it works just fine) Plus you will have plenty left for later, because this keeps quite well in the refrigerator.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/lemon-curd-recipe/index.html

Bake some nice shortbread cookies in small round shapes.
http://www.joyofbaking.com/shortbreads/shortbreadcookies.html

Spread the lemon curd on the baked shortbread. Decorate with a tiny spot of whipped cream or clotted cream or creme fraiche.

(If in a hurry, the lemon curd can be bought, but taste it first, because there are some nasty ones out there)

 

[heyang]

If your mother enjoys alcoholic beverages, you can do a little cocktail party or wine & cheese party. Serve finger foods like stuffed mushrooms, etc.

 

[Medusa]

Thanks for the great tips, guys.

I did the scones (had to do them in muffins forms, I didn't even know a scones pan exists) and they were incredible, very tasty. I also did the lemon curd and shortbreads and that was a real hit. Overall a very successful, but tiring day (especially my French five-course dinner had me falling asleep on the kitchen floor).

So thank you so much!