Bookending an otherwise uneventful work week (minus my first mosh pit experience…), were two glorious Sundays. We were all sold out of beer at the shop the past two Sundays so — lucky me– I skipped off to enjoy the day(s) with good people and sunshine. Poolside one week and then lakeside the next, both weekends were filled with family and friends. Loud in a familial way, but quiet on the responsibilities-front. Both days felt like they were bursting at the seams with summertime fun. The first of my two dreamy-summer-Sundays landed on the Wimbledon men’s final, so that meant rolling out of bed for breakfast at Wimbledon (also known as strawberries and coffee on the couch). It’s occured to me that while this little blog has existed, the only yearly event/celebration I have now chronicled consistently (all four years!), is Wimbledon. I don’t know what this says about me — I really love strawberries and cream? I’m still holding out for Federer to win another one? I like an occasion to wear all white?– but I’m ok with this having become a yearly tradition. Maybe someday I’ll watch from the All England Club…’til then, there will be fresh scones for enjoying at home!These scones combined both strawberries and cream, making them perfect for Wimbledon-breakfast enthusiasts. The ricotta lends a nice moistness, and the berries are dotted prettily throughout.

whole-wheat berry ricotta scones from the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by Deb Perelman

(In the book, Deb uses raspberries for this recipe; I subbed in strawberries in keeping with the Wimbledon theme and was very pleased. So, use either, or both!)

Yields nine 2-inch square sones

Ingredients:
1 cup (120 grams) whole-wheat flour
1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon (15 grams) baking powder, preferably aluminum-free
1/4 cup (50 grams) sugar
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
6 tablespoons (3 ounces or 85 grams) unsalted butter, chilled
1 cup (4 3/4 ounces or 135 grams) fresh strawberries
3/4 cup (190 grams) whole-milk ricotta
1/3 cup (80 ml) heavy cream

Preheat your oven to 425F / 220C degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In the bottom of a large, widish bowl, whisk flours, baking powder, sugar, and salt together.

With a pastry blender: Add the butter (no need to chop it first if your blender is sturdy), and use the blender to cut the butter into the flour mixture until the biggest pieces are the size of small peas. Toss in the strawberries, and use the blender again to break them into half-and quarter-berry-sized chunks.

Without a pastry blender: Cut the butter into small pieces with a knife, and work the butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Roughly chop the blackberries on a cutting board, and stir them into the butter-flour mixture.

Both methods: Using a flexible spatula, add the ricotta and heavy cream to the butter mixture and stir them in to form a dough. Then use your hands to knead the dough gently into an even mass, right in the bottom of the bowl. Don’t fret if the berries get muddled and smudge up the dough.

With as few movements as possible, transfer the dough to a well-floured counter or surface, flour the top of the dough, and pat it into a a 7-inch square about 1-inch high. With a large knife, divide the dough into nine even squares. Transfer the scones to the prepared baking sheet with a spatula. Bake the scones for about 15 minutes, until they are golden at the edges. Cool the scones on the pan for a couple minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. It’s best to cool them about halfway before eating, so they can set a bit more.

Whether this Sunday is a day of rest, or a busy one, I hope you have a great weekend!