I think scones are one of my favorite things to bake (and eat!). Who doesn't love a scone. They are perfectly at home and fit in with all types of social and private occasions. Sweet scones are lovely for teas and genteel like get-togethers, whereas savoury ones love homey occasions and going to picnics. These fabulous Parmesan & Black Pepper Potato Scones are perfect for those types of things and would go wonderfully with cold meats, salads, soups, etc. They are light, fluffy and savoury, with a bit of the bite from the pepper. Its a recipe I came up with when I dug into the April Degustabox.
As you know I am the lucky recipient of a Degustabox every month and as soon as I saw the contents of the April box I got really excited because I knew right away the product I wanted to use to make a recipe! But first the box . . .
I love these boxes. Opening each one is tiny a bit like opening a Christmas gift. Always a surprise, and always filled with things that pique my interest and desire to try. Degustabox is a monthly foodie subscription service that sends out a range of 10 to 15 specially selected foodie products. There's always a great mix of new products that I haven't tried before, as well as plenty of treats from more established brands. Quite often you will have the opportunity to try new products before they arrive in the shops, so it can be a bit of a sneak peak! Each Degustabox costs only £12.99, delivery costs are included in the price, and there is no fixed contract involved - you can cancel at any time. I love getting these boxes! They are great value for money spent.
Here is what was in the April Box, which had an active/outdoors theme!
TREK Protein Energy Chunks 2 X £1.15
TREK Chunks are deliciously different. Instead of relying on mysterious additives & syrups, TREK chunks are packed with a precise cold-pressed balance of powerfu wholefoods, delivering sustained energy, when you need it most.
Vegan/Gluten Free/1 of your five a day.
STRAWBERRY and BANANA LIOBITES Smoothie Bites 1 X £2.35
LioBites are 100% Fruit Crisps, made by a mom searching for a healthy snack for her family. We pick the ripest and sweetest fruits in season to ensure the maximum nutrition and vitamins are retained. The fruits are quickly frozen and then dried to achieve a sweet, crunchy fruit crisp.
NICK'S Kexbar 1 X £1.20
NICK'S kexbar is a crispy chocolate wafer with vanilla cream covered in thick delicious milk chocolate. We never add sugar i our products, not now and not ever! Join our fight on sugar at Niks.se. Find our products on Amazon.co.uk and use the voucher code DEGUSTA1 for a 20% discount.
MINDFUL BITES Squeeze Sachets 3 X £1.49
Mindful Bites is apremium brand of unique nut butters blended with superfoods and highly innovative snacks. Our Nut Butter Squeeze Sachets are great to be eaten on-the-go, perfect for active people; the innovate packaging makes them mess-free and easy to carry everywhere.
MUTTI Passata 1 X £1.40
Perfect for dishes with reduced cooking times and can enhance pasta sauces, eggs and meat. The passata retains its bright red colour, velvety texture and sweet flavor.
MUTTI Finely Chopped Tomatoes 1 X £1.00
Winners of a prestigious Great Taste Award. Only Italian tomatoes: red, sweet, ripe ad free of yellow and green parts. Differnt from the first glance, thick, inviting and fragrant. Taste the quality, all the delicate flavours of fresh tomatoes.
MILKYBAR Wowsomes 2 X £0.55
Milkybar Wowsomes have arrived to bring the fun, with 30% less sugar than similar chocolate products and no artificial sweeteners, colours, flaours or preseratives. Its simply 100% deicious white chocolate or white & milk chocolate filled with a creamy-tasting center and crispy oat cereal.
a2 MILK Long life Semi-Skimmed Cow's Milk 1 X £1.50
a2 Milk is a natural cow's milk with a difference. It is naturally free from the A1 protein found in regular cow's milk so its gentle on sensitive tummies, easy to digest and less likely to trigger symptoms associated with milk intolerance.
* a2 MILK is not suitable for cow's milk protein allergy.
JUICY FUEL Cola 2 X £2.00
Juicy Fuel Cola is a cola made from entirey natural ingredients, no added sugar, no artificial sweeteners and no preservatives, and remarkably one of your five a day. The alternative is here.
LUCOZADE ENERGY 1 X £1.10
Discover the great taste of Lucozade Energy Orange in the moment when you need it most! Whatever your day may hold, remember your energy beats everything. Lucozade energy is best served chilled, so put your bottle in the fridge for maximum great taste!
NUTTVIA 1 X £
This chocolatey spread is low in sugar and sweetened with natvia, a naturally sourced sweetener. It is also free from palm oil, so it’s endorsed by the Orangutan Alliance. This has a nuttier, less sweet flavor than other similar products. It’s a nice alternative for those watching their sugar intake and those concerned about the detrimental impact of palm oil production on wildlife.
HAPPY DOWN Lychee Guava Chilli crafted sparkling cocktail which wasn’t on the info sheet. This is a hand blended, premixed cocktail with natural flavours and no preservatives.
HARIBO Giant Strawberries 1 X £1.29
Giant in flavor and in size. A traditional pick and mix treat that is so popula now it has its own sharing and pocket sized packs. Strawberry flavoured and shaped and boasting its own unique texture. Giant Stawbs is also perfect for vegetarians.
THE FOOD DOCTOR 2 X £1.00
The Food Doctor Full of Beans Protein Mix and Smokin' Edamame Mix make the perfect mid-morning snacks as they contain a blend of corn and beans which are high i nfibre and a good source of protein that will keep you going until lunch time.
IDAHOAN'S Perfect Mash Roasted Garlic 1 X £1.50
Idahoan Perfect Mash is ready in just 1 minute. Simply add 475ml of boiling water to a bowl and stir in the flakes resulting in flffy mash and great taste. Making mid-week meals like Sausage & Mash really easy! GM-free, Gluten free. Find us in the tinned vegetable aisle.
This was the product I decided to highlight with a recipe. Its actually something which I have already bought and used.
It makes a great quick mash alternative to from scratch mash and is also great in recipes such as these savoury potato scones I am showing you today!
I have been using instant mashed potatoes for years to make beautiful potato scones. This roasted garlic mash made for a lovely flavor in my favorite scone recipe.
I add grated Parmesan cheese and black pepper, for additional flavor and a bit of a bite. Works beautifully.
Just look at how tall they rise up in the oven. They are light and fluffy, with a beautiful texture and flavor. Great for all of your savoury scone-needs!
*Parmesan & Black Pepper Potato Scones*Makes 2 dozen Printable Recipe
These are fabulous served with cold meats and cheese, or with soups.
50g instant mashed potato flakes (1/2 cup)1 tsp sugar6 TBS cold butter240ml sour milk (1 cup)350g plain flour (2 1/2 cups)1 TBS baking powder1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda (Baking soda)1 tsp salt1 TBS cracked black pepper4 TBS coarsely grated Parmesan cheese
To finish:cream to brushcoarsely grated Parmesan cheese to sprinkle
Preat the oven to 220*C/425*F/ gas mark 7. Line a large baking tray with baking paper.
Mesure the potato flakes, sugar, flour, baking powder and soda into a bowl. Add the salt and whisk all together. Grate in the cold butter, add the cheese and stir all together. Stir in the black pepper. Add the milk all at once and stir with a fork to make a soft dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently a couple of times. Pat out to a round, about 1 inch thick. Using a 2 inch sharp round cutter, stamp out rounds and place a few inches apart on the baking tray. Genty knead together the scraps and repeat until all of your dough is used up. Try to get as many rounds stamped out of the first cutting as you can as subsequent cuts will not be as tender.
Brush the tops with a little cream and sprinkle with some more Parmesan.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until well risen and golden brown.
Just look at that beautiful texture!
Every box does include an information card, along with some other bits, recipes, etc. from the brands included. I find it really handy to have, to learn about the products a bit more and to also know how much the products would cost if I went on to buy them, and also for ideas on how to use some of them.
So, that was the April Degustabox - a nice selection of products as always. We loved it. The price of each Degustabox is £12.99 (including delivery). To order your box, visit www.degustabox.com Many thanks to Degustabox UK for sending me this box. I have to say I really look forward to getting my box each month. There are always lots of things in it to enjoy and new products to try out. I highly recommend. You can also tailor the boxes to your own likes and dislikes by filling in your own Taste Profile. Do you like the sound of this box? Why not sign up now! I find them to be really good value for money spent and I really enjoy trying out new products that I have not tried before.
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Note - Although I was sent a box free of charge any and all opinions are my own.Bon appetit!
