1. Auntie Alice’s Scones 

Ingredients: 

• 3 cups flour 
• 1 tbsp baking powder 
• ½ tsp baking soda 
• ½ tsp salt 
• ¾ cup butter 
• ¼ cup milk or whipping cream 
• 1 cup buttermilk 
• Optional: ½ cup walnuts 
• Optional: ½ cup raisins 
• ½ cup orange juice 
• 12 sugar cubes 

Directions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together
3. Cut in butter 
4. Stir raisins and nuts in mixture 
5. Mix buttermilk in quickly to shape a rough dough ball
6. Place dough ball onto a floured board and flatten to ¾ inch thickness 
7. Cut into rounds of desired size for the scones 
8. Place the cut outs onto greased cookie sheet
9. Soak 1 sugar cube and socal in orange juice 
10. Press the wet sugar cube into the center of the scones 
11. Brush scones with cream or milk 
12. Bake for 14 to 18 minutes 
13. Serve it warm and enjoy! 

Notes:

You can make your scones plain as well. Raisins and walnuts can also be substituted with other dry fruits or nuts. 

2. Russian Tea Cookies 

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup unsalted butter 
• 4 ½ cups powdered sugar 
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla 
• 2 cups flour 
• ½ tsp salt 
• ¾ cup walnuts 
• ¾ cup sugar  

You’ll also need: 

• A food processor with a metal blade 

Directions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit
2. Cream butter in a food processor with a metal blade
3. Blend in vanilla and ¾ cup sugar
4. Add flour and salt
5. Blend but do not overwork
6. Pour in nuts and pulse until evenly distributed
7. Remove dough from processor and roll into 1 inch balls
8. Place balls on an ungreased cookie sheet
9. Bake until firm and starting to brown on the bottom
10. Remove from the oven
11. Carefully roll each ball in powdered sugar
12. Let cool and roll again
13. Makes 3-4 dozen cookies

3. Custard Crème Fruit Tarts 

Ingredients for Fruit Tarts:

• 1 cup flour 
• 2 tbsp sugar 
• 5 ½ tbsp butter 
• ¼ tsp salt 
• 1 egg lightly beaten
• Fresh fruit of choice 
• Optional: mint sprigs 

Directions for Fruit Tarts: 

1. Combine flour, sugar and salt
2. Mix in butter until the dough is crumbly
3. Add half the egg to form dough
4. Wrap dough in plastic and chill for 1 hour
5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
6. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface
7. Cut into six 4 inch circles
8. Remainder of the dough can be frozen if wrapped well
9. Place cut out circles into 3 inch by ½ inch deep fluted tart pans, gently form into pans
10. Remove excess and prick with a fork
11. Bake for 15-30 minutes until starting to brown
12. Cool in pans until ready to use

     

    Directions for Custard Crème:

    1. Combine sugar, flour and salt in a medium saucepan
    2. In a separate dish, mix together milk, egg yolks and vanilla
    3. Whisk milk mixture into flour mixture
    4. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes until it thickens
    5. Add butter and let cook for 2 minutes until very thick
    6. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature

    Directions for Assembling: 

    1. Remove shells from pans
    2. Spoon custard into pastry shells
    3. Top with fresh fruit, and mint sprigs