Rhubarb Scones with Sweet Vanilla Glaze

RHUBARB SCONES with SWEET VANILLA GLAZE

4/25/2022

Rhubarb Scones with Vanilla Bean Glaze are filled with tiny bits of rhubarb, and are perfect for breakfast, brunch or a garden tea party. These tender and buttery scones are mildly sweet and simple to make, with bits of tender pink and green rhubarb poking through the dough. For a subtle sweet crunch, these scones can be topped with a sprinkle of sparkling sugar before baking, or drizzled with a simple vanilla bean glaze for a tender and sweet finish.

A warm scone fresh from the oven with the tart flavor of rhubarb and the slightly sweet dough is perfect all on its own, but if you like your scones a little sweeter, the Vanilla Bean Glaze is scone perfection! You can also prepare these more traditionally without the Vanilla Bean Glaze, and serve with rhubarb jam on the side to slather on the tender scones, or serve with clotted cream for a full-on English tea experience.

Rhubarb Scones with Sweet Vanilla Glaze

WHAT EXACTLY ARE SCONES?

"Traditional" scones come from the United Kingdom, where they are served with jam and clotted cream, as part of a British afternoon or "cream" tea. Scones are typically round or curved. They’re slightly sweet, but not overly so – hence the jam! Most importantly, scones are flaky. They easily break apart into tender, fluffy pieces.

From there, scones have traveled the world. They don’t have to be round anymore and come in various shapes, sizes and even flavors. If you compare a typical British scone to an American one, you'll hardly be able to tell the difference in size or sweetness. But scones throughout the world are united by one characteristic - a tender, flaky texture.

Scones have been a staple of breakfast tables for centuries, and it's easy to understand why. You can make the dough in a matter of minutes, and they bake very quickly. Best warm right out of the oven, they are perfect with tea or coffee for brunch or a sweet treat.

Rhubarb Scones

WHAT SHAPE ARE SCONES?

There are basically two ways to shape a scone:
1. Roll out the dough into a thick sheet and cut it into pieces, or
2. Shape the dough into individual balls and flatten them with your hand.

The first one is the ‘"traditional" method and it does have a lot of advantages. During baking, scones will rise up. A neatly cut side of a scone helps the scone to lift and reach higher heights. The edges where the scone has been cut allow for easier expansion and create a more vertical lift. Some bakers feel that using a biscuit cutter will give you cleaner edges than a sharp knife, but either way works!

However, when shaping a scone into a ball, the lift can happen anywhere on the scone. It can ‘crack’ or grow on the side or top when expanding., very much like bread does when it bakes and rises.

There are also scone baking pans, but they really don't do anything to improve the look or taste of scones. Sometimes simple is best!

Rhubarb Scones with Sweet Vanilla Glaze

SO ARE SCONES BREAD OR PASTRY?

When you take your first bite of one of these warm Rhubarb Scones, you might wonder if a scone is bread or is it a type of pastry? It's actually a bit of both! You certainly could call it a type of bread or biscuit, but the texture and sweetness definitely borders on pastry - even more so when sprinkled with sugar or drizzled with a sweet glaze.

It's safe to say that it is both, and neither! The best scones should have a little more density than bread, a little less sweetness than pastry, but still have the best qualities of both - just light and fluffy, and just sweet enough to be delicious, especially warm from the oven!

Scone baking has also become quite creative - you'll find cheese, fruit, herbed and spiced-up scones, and even scones that have a filling. The tartness of rhubarb is similar to a cranberry – perfect for tossing into a scone! Whether you make them plain, sweet or savory, we're all in for warm, fresh-baked scones!

Rhubarb Scones with Sweet Vanilla Glaze

WHAT EXACTLY IS RHUBARB?

The bright red stalks of early spring rhubarb give this jam its lovely color as well as its tangy flavor. Rhubarb is a favorite for jams, pies and crisps. The season is both early and short – use your first crops for the best results.
Rhubarb is a perennial grown locally in the Midwest and is available in the late Spring. If you are not lucky enough to have rhubarb planted and growing in your garden or yard, you can often find it at farmer’s markets or the grocery store.
If you live in a climate where the ground freezes in winter, chances are that you can grow rhubarb! The hardest part is finding rhubarb plants! Rhubarb needs a cold winter where temperatures dip below freezing in order to grow and thrive, and it is considered hardy in zones 3-8.
Because Rhubarb is a perennial, with very little care it will come back year after year – it’s a very tough and hardy plant! Most rhubarb plants need to be dug up and divided after several years for the best plant health. This is also a great opportunity to expand your rhubarb plot or share your plants with family and friends. Once established, rhubarb is a plant that can produce for more than 20 years.
There are many varieties of rhubarb and many shades, from palest green to deep crimson, but the flavor is the same! Your rhubarb sauces, jams and jelly will vary in color depending on your rhubarb, but the flavor and texture is the same!
The stalks are the only edible part of this early spring plant, while the green parts of the leaves are toxic, which is why you never see rhubarb stalks for sale with the leaves attached.
Stalks of rhubarb look similar to celery, but have a strong and very tart taste if eaten raw.
The bright red stalks of early spring rhubarb give this jam its lovely color as well as its tangy flavor. Rhubarb is a favorite for jams, pies and crisps. The season is both early and short – use your first crops for the best results, as the rhubarb stalks will get tough and “woody” as the season goes on. Young and tender stalks are the best!
Although commonly used for desserts, rhubarb is technically a vegetable. We use rhubarb in jams, sauces, pies and fruit bars, but it is also fabulous in savory dishes.
To freeze fresh rhubarb, first wash and dry it. Slice the stalks into 1-inch pieces and lay out on a baking sheets. Place the pans in the freezer for an hour, or until the rhubarb is frozen solid. Transfer to sturdy zip lock freezer bags (I usually measure out 4 cups into gallon sized freezer bags). Frozen rhubarb will last for up to a year.
Fresh rhubarb is best for all recipes, but you can also use frozen – just be sure to add any liquid that released from the frozen rhubarb to your recipe.
Rhubarb is healthy for you – it’s loaded with calcium, lutein, vitamin K and antioxidants.

Rhubarb Scones with Sweet Vanilla Glaze

RHUBARB SCONE TIPS, TRICKS & VARIATIONS:

Fresh rhubarb is always preferred, but when it’s out of season, frozen rhubarb will work. For these tender scones, be sure to thaw and pat dry before mixing, or you will add too much moisture to the dough. If you use frozen rhubarb, make sure to chop it into small pieces before using as well – you’ll find it is easier to chop frozen rhubarb than thawed rhubarb.
If your rhubarb is SUPER sour, toss the chopped rhubarb with a tablespoon or two of granulated sugar until evenly coated before adding to the dough.
Some bakers like to give their scones 2-inches of space when baking. I prefer to bake these a little bit closer, as this will help keep the sides straight and even as the scones cook, and they will also rise higher than scones that are baked spaced apart too much.
If you like buttery scones, you can also brush the tops of the rhubarb scones with melted butter when they are hot from the oven, and sprinkle with sparkling sugar for a sweet crunch.
Fruit Variations: You can substitute the rhubarb with raspberries, strawberries, apricots, peaches or blueberries, or a combination of fruits – just be careful that you don’t have too much juicy fruit! Pat dry and dust evenly with flour before adding to the dough for best results.
Scones are undoubtedly always best served fresh and warm, but you can store any leftover scones in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or wrap them individually and freeze (bring to room temperature before opening the container, and pop in the microwave for 15 seconds to warm them up individually before serving.)

Rhubarb Scones with Sweet Vanilla Glaze

RHUBARB SCONES with SWEET VANILLA GLAZE

Rhubarb Scones with Sweet Vanilla Glaze

INGREDIENTS:
RHUBARB SCONES:
1 cup chopped rhubarb (chopped fine)
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
2 1/4 cups (281g) all purpose flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted cold butter (cut in small cubes or pieces)
1/2 cup cold buttermilk (or heavy cream)
Sparkling Sugar (to sprinkle on top if desired)

VANILLA BEAN GLAZE:
¾ cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste or seeds from 1 vanilla bean
2 Tablespoons heavy cream (or more if necessary)

HOW I MAKE THESE:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
PREPARE SCONES: Add sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt to a medium bowl and whisk until combined.
Using a pastry cutter or fork, cut in butter pieces until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Add rhubarb and toss to coat.
In another bowl, whisk buttermilk (or heavy cream) and vanilla extract together.
Stir liquid into crumb mixture just until the dough is moist and starts to come together (it will be crumbly). If it is too dry, drizzle in a little more buttermilk or heavy cream and stir just until combined.
Turn the mixture onto a floured surface and knead a few times with floured hands until the dough is one piece, without a lot of dry flour left.
Gently pat dough into a 10-inch diameter circle, about 1 inch thick. Cut the dough into 8 wedges. If you prefer, you can use a 3-inch biscuit cutter to cut into round or square shapes.
Arrange the scones 1 inch apart from each other on the lined baking sheet and sprinkle the tops with sparkling sugar for a subtle sweet crunch (skip this step if you will be topping with Vanilla Bean Glaze).
Bake in preheated oven for about 18-20 minutes, until just starting to turn golden. Be careful not to overbake!
PREPARE GLAZE: To make the glaze, whisk together the sifted powdered sugar, vanilla bean paste (or seeds), and enough milk, half & half or heavy cream to make a smooth glaze.
Let scones cool for 10 minutes before glazing with the Vanilla Bean Glaze. Drizzle glaze on top of scones and serve immediately!

YIELD: 8 scones

RECIPE TIPS, TRICKS & VARIATIONS:

Fresh rhubarb is always preferred, but when it’s out of season, frozen rhubarb will work. For these tender scones, be sure to thaw and pat dry before mixing, or you will add too much moisture to the dough. If you use frozen rhubarb, make sure to chop it into small pieces before using as well – you’ll find it is easier to chop frozen rhubarb than thawed rhubarb.
If your rhubarb is SUPER sour, toss the chopped rhubarb with a tablespoon or two of granulated sugar until evenly coated before adding to the dough.
Some bakers like to give their scones 2-inches of space when baking. I prefer to bake these a little bit closer, as this will help keep the sides straight and even as the scones cook, and they will also rise higher than scones that are baked spaced apart too much.
If you like buttery scones, you can also brush the tops of the rhubarb scones with melted butter when they are hot from the oven, and sprinkle with sparkling sugar for a sweet crunch.
Fruit Variations: You can substitute the rhubarb with raspberries, strawberries, apricots, peaches or blueberries, or a combination of fruits – just be careful that you don’t have too much juicy fruit! Pat dry and dust evenly with flour before adding to the dough for best results.
Scones are undoubtedly always best served fresh and warm, but you can store any leftover scones in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or wrap them individually and freeze (bring to room temperature before opening the container, and pop in the microwave for 15 seconds to warm them up individually before serving.)

Original recipe created by Snowflakes & Coffeecakes; published April 2022.

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