Baking with herbs inspires curiosity and fascination. Although herbs aren’t strangers to most kitchens, they aren’t particularly associated with sweet bakes, despite bringing such interesting and unexpected flavour profiles. Infusing a few sprigs or leaves in a butter or syrup is an easy way to add flavour to your baking and gives many options for jazzing up old favourites. I’ve dedicated a chapter to baking with herbs and tea in my new book, and today’s recipes are from its pages. I love the gentle liquorice notes that tarragon brings to the blondies and the flecks of rosemary running through the scones add a warm, piney aroma that makes them feel a little fancy without doing too much.
Rosemary and honey scones
Scones are my go-to when I’m short on time. Relying on store-cupboard basics, you’re likely to have everything to hand already, allowing you to throw these together as soon the craving hits.
Prep 20 min
Cook 20 min
Makes 4
450g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tbsp baking powder
40g caster sugar
¼ tsp salt
220g cold unsalted butter, diced
1½ tbsp finely chopped rosemary
130ml milk
1 egg
1½ tsp honey
For the glaze
2 tbsp honey
3 tbsp water
2 sprigs of rosemary
To serve
Salted butter, or clotted cream
Honey, for drizzling
Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6, and line two baking sheets with greaseproof paper.
In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Add the butter and toss in the flour to coat, then rub the mixture between your fingertips until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Stir in the chopped rosemary.
In a jug, whisk the milk, egg and honey. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and pour in the liquid, using a knife to stir it in until the mix begins to clump together and forms a soft dough.
Turn out on to a lightly floured surface and knead very gently and briefly, folding the dough back on itself a couple of times – the surface doesn’t need to be perfectly smooth, so try not to overwork it.
Pat the dough into a thick, round disc and cut into eight wedges. Place the wedges on the lined baking sheets, leaving about 2½cm between them, then bake for 16–20 minutes, until golden and well risen.
To make the glaze, gently heat the honey, water and rosemary sprigs in a small pan, then bring to a boil and boil for one minute. Brush directly over the warm scones, then serve with salted butter or clotted cream and an extra drizzle of honey.
UK readers: click to buy these ingredients from Ocado
Tarragon blondies
When you think of tarragon, what comes to mind? It’s not the most used or popular herb and, likewise, blondies tend to be outshone by their more popular big sister, the brownie. So these two are right at home together, creating something deliciously unexpected.
Prep 25 min
Cook 25 min
Makes 9–12
225g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
5 sprigs tarragon, plus extra leaves to decorate
200g light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
160g plain flour
1 pinch ground cloves
½ tsp salt
100g white chocolate, roughly chopped
50g macadamia nuts, roughly chopped
Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4, and grease and line a 20cm square cake pan.
Finely chop one sprig of tarragon and set aside. Put the butter and remaining four tarragon sprigs in a small saucepan on a low heat and gently melt the butter. Take off the heat, cover and leave to steep for 15–20 minutes (for a stronger flavour, you can leave it for up to an hour). Strain the butter into a large bowl, discarding the herbs, and leave to cool.
Mix the sugar into the cooled butter, then stir in the eggs and vanilla until smooth. Add the flour, ground cloves, reserved chopped tarragon and salt, stirring gently until just combined, then mix in the white chocolate and chopped nuts.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, arrange the extra tarragon leaves on top, then bake for 20–25 minutes, or until just set.
Leave the blondies to cool completely before serving. For a super-clean cut, chill them for a few hours, then slice with a sharp knife.
UK readers: click to buy these ingredients from Ocado
• Recipes extracted from A Good Day to Bake, by Benjamina Ebuehi, published next month by Quadrille at £22. To order a copy for £19.14, go to guardianbookshop.com
