Giant Jam Bun: A Whimsical Culinary Creation

What Do You Call a Scone Crossed with a Jam Cake and a Cinnamon Roll?

The first time I attempted this culinary creation, I whimsically dubbed it a “Franken-scone.” The pastry spread out flat, and the jam oozed like thick, gloppy magma, creating a chaotic scene in my baking pan. I had to wield a butter knife like a tool of desperation to pry a tiny crumb from the stubborn baking sheet. Yet, with the very first bite, a wave of rich butter, tart raspberry, and sweet caramel flooded my mouth. While it may not have been visually appealing, I sensed that, with a few simple tweaks, this peculiar concoction could transform into something truly spectacular.

Recipe: Giant Jam Bun

The inspiration for this creation came from Erin Gardner’s delightful giant cinnamon roll scone, where she cleverly replaces the traditional yeast dough with an easy-to-make scone pastry. She shapes it into a colossal pinwheel, slicing it into wedges before baking to perfection.

I found myself wondering what might happen if I substituted jam for the usual brown sugar filling. Could this be the answer to one of my long-standing obsessions during teatime: incorporating jam directly into a scone to prevent it from being dry? This culinary fixation had already birthed two delightful recipes. In one, I infused raisin-like dried strawberries into a scone loaf to create sticky, jam-like pockets. In another, I took a cookie-inspired approach, creating thumbprints filled with homemade plum compote, resulting in delectable cornmeal plum scones.

While those recipes were delightful, my quest was far from over. I craved even more “jamminess.” By adopting Erin’s pinwheel shape, I envisioned the possibility of stuffing even more jam into the dough, amplifying the flavors.

However, calibrating the amount and variety of jam proved to be quite the challenge. Using too much or opting for a thin fruit preserve or jelly resulted in a leaky, burned mess. I quickly realized that I needed a thick, dense jam, and I aimed to use it sparingly to achieve the ideal balance.

What I hadn’t anticipated was how the moisture from the jam would dramatically alter the scone’s texture. Instead of coming out dry or crumbly, it turned out thrillingly tender and decadently buttery. The result resembled a spiraled jam cake, which I enhanced by drizzling a zesty citrus icing on top.

In truth, my creation isn’t strictly a scone, nor is it just a cake or a roll. I ultimately decided to name it something entirely different—a giant jam bun. I hope this whimsical title doesn’t give the impression that this swirly treat is too daunting. Because despite the initial chaos of the process, I’ve managed to create a delightful monster that is, at its core, truly beautiful.

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