Vanilla Bean Rhubarb-Ginger Scones
Not long after we began dating, my Chief Culinary Consultant told me about the fabulous strawberry-rhubarb pies that his grandmother used to make. At that time, I had never, ever in my life tasted rhubarb. When I told him, he was totally dumbfounded. I promised to make a strawberry-rhubarb pie for him one day, and I kept my word. One beautiful May morning, he left to go golfing, and I headed to the store for rhubarb and pie supplies. I had no idea what I would think of rhubarb, but I ended up loving it!
Since it’s only available here for a short time in April and May, I try to take advantage of it each spring and incorporate it into a number of recipes. As soon as I saw those beautiful reddish-pink stalks in the produce department last week, I snatched some up and started brainstorming. I hadn’t made scones since my mom’s birthday in September (chocolate chip are her favorite!), and I love the combination of rhubarb and ginger, so before long my idea was solidified.
Those chocolate chip scones are one of my favorites as well, in large part due to their tender texture (the chocolate doesn’t hurt, either!). I went the same route with these scones, and added a small amount of butter to increase the flakiness. Instead of simply including vanilla extract, I infused the sugar with vanilla bean, which will makes your hands smell phenomenal! Lastly, I chopped up some rhubarb and tossed it in sugar before adding it to the mixture, and threw in a good dose of crystallized ginger.
I can’t get enough of flecks of vanilla bean!
So pretty!
The result were impossible-to-resist scones. They are wholly acceptable for breakfast, snacks or dessert; the right amount of sweetness provides balance to the tart rhubarb, and the ginger gives them a little kick. The scones are definitely best straight from the oven, but can be kept airtight for a few days.
So what if it snowed again two nights ago (that makes snow on my birthday two years in a row, if you’re keeping track)?
Spring has definitely sprung in my kitchen!
One year ago: Coconut-Vanilla Bean Cake with Coconut Meringue Buttercream Frosting
Two years ago: Homemade Fudge Pops
Three years ago: Baked Doughnuts with Cinnamon-Sugar
Four years ago: Cucumber-Tomato Bruschetta Appetizer
Six years ago: The Perfect Party Cake
Seven years ago: Baked Mac n’ Cheese
Vanilla Bean Rhubarb-Ginger Scones
Ingredients
- 3 stalks rhubarb, cut into ¼-inch slices (about 1 cup)
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar, divided, plus more for sprinkling
- 2 inch piece of whole vanilla bean
- 2½ cups (312.5 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) salt
- ½ cup (113.5 g) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small cubes
- ½ cup (70 g) chopped crystallized ginger
- 1 cup (238 ml) heavy cream
- Granulated sugar, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
- Place the sliced rhubarb in a small bowl and toss with 3 tablespoons of the sugar; set aside.
- Place the remaining sugar in a large bowl. Slice the piece of vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the sugar. Using your fingertips, rub the vanilla seeds into the sugar until it is evenly distributed. Add the flour, baking powder and salt to the bowl and whisk to combine.
- Add the cubed butter and, using a pastry blender or two knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it is the texture of coarse sand and there are no pieces of butter larger than the size of a pea remaining. Stir the rhubarb and ginger into the mixture, making sure that everything is evenly coated in flour.
- Pour the heavy cream into the flour mixture and, using a wooden spoon, gently stir until all of the cream has been absorbed. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead a few times to bring the dough together.
- Divide the dough in two and pat each into a 7-inch circle. Cut six triangles out of each circle and place on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with additional granulated sugar.
- Bake until the scones are set and golden brown, about 20 t0 25 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store the scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Such a wonderful recipe you just shared.
I have rhubarb ready in my garden and I made my own crystalline ginger the other day.
This recipe looked perfect so I gave it a try with a few substitutes because that’s what I had on hand.
2% milk for the cream, vanilla extract for the vanilla bean. They turned out great!! Love the flavour combination.
Will definitely make these again and might try with a gluten free flour and see how they turn out.
OMG! So delicious! I’ve made another scone recipe for several years but my coworker gave me rhubarb and thought I’d try BEB’s rhubarb ginger scones. The only change I made was to sprinkle just a little real vanilla extract into the sugar as I didn’t have a fresh vanilla bean to scrape nor vanilla bean paste. The dough is on the dry side (as a good scone is) but they bake up so beautifully and are flaky when eating. I also sprinkled some Demerara sugar on the top of the scones before baking.
I definitely am keeping this recipe and making it again!
This recipe is a winner. There are only 2 of us, so there were leftovers. They were even delicious the next day after reheating in the oven. Thank you for sharing it with us.
good
hi – i tried to make this with frozen rhubarb but i think the moisture made the scones spread. any suggestions if you don’t have fresh rhubarb?
For Jesse: I also used frozen rhubarb. After thawing, I use my potato ricer to squeeze out all the moisture I could, Then laid it on a paper towel. It worked fine.
Wow, really, I can’t get over that delicious taste! So simple and yet – sooo great. Thank you for this recipe – it’s a real keeper
LOVE lentils, but my family does not. Such a bummer because I never get to make them, but seeing as i would probably eat this all myself anyway, I guess that is a good thing! They look awesome!
LOVE lentils, but my family does not. Such a bummer because I never get to make them, but seeing as i would probably eat this all myself anyway, I guess that is a good thing! They look awesome!
That looks really, truly delicious. I think I’m coming to live at your house ;)
YUM. Love the Rhubarb and Vanilla Combo. Influenced my mouth to water simply pondering the poignancy of the Rhubarb!
Oh my! Hubby would love this! Pinning now! Thanks for sharing!!
I have tons of rhubarb growing in my backyard, but I don’t have any vanilla bean. Do you think I could get away with vanilla extract or will it alter the flavor too much?
Hi Kaycee, I think that would be just fine, no issues. Enjoy! :)
Made these this morning – I love a cream scone and this flavor combination is absolutely wonderful. Thank you!
I just pulled a batch out of the oven (I am terrible at waiting for desserts to cool) and they are super! This is my first experience with rhubarb, scones or vanilla beans. This tastes very mild and subtle. I had a terrible time finding crystalized ginger this time around even though it hasn’t been a problem before. I found it in the ethnic foods at Publix and it was less than two bucks! Thanks for the easy to follow recipe. I will make these again.
Gorgeous! These look incredible!!!
I am surprised you found it in the store already since you are north of me and I can’t find it yet. And it is super easy to grow. The place I was getting mine from last year had it until July and July in Maryland can be down right nasty hot. Plus a friend gives me plenty and her’s are going strong until August.
I have frozen rhubarb in the freezer and would like to make these tomorrow morning. But could I switch out buttermilk for the cream since that is what I have on hand easily?
Hi Mia, I’m not sure if the buttermilk would have any affect on the final product; usually it is used along with baking soda, not baking powder. You could definitely give it a try, let me know how it turns out.
I can’t wait to try these! I’m reading the other comments, wishing I had planted rhubarb last year. Oh well…to the store I will go!
I can’t believe rhubarb is an April/May only food where you are. Once it starts growing in Alaska, IT NEVER STOPS! If we take care of our (weed-like) plants, we can harvest through August, easily.
Michelle,
I’ve never had rhubarb anything. Kudos for trying it.
Annamaria
Oooh! All my favorite things in my favorite pastry. :)
These look so good! I need to try rhubarb already!
I can’t believe that anyone would *buy* rhubarb! What a rip off! Rhubarb is possibly the easiest thing ever to grow in your garden. It comes up every spring and you’ll find you have too much of it in only a couple of year! No watering or special care required. If you have a patch of grass in the sun, it will grow. And grow!
Around here people can’t give the stuff away! And if it can grow in Alberta, it can grow just about anywhere. I also used to grow it in England.
This was my thought exactly! We split our plants every 5 years or so when they start to get huge and give them to friends. We also cut off the sprouts with the flowers before they bloom.
When my 84 yo aunt was newly married, she wanted to make a rhubarb pie like her mother had made. So she went to the grocery, bought several bunches of rhubarb & made the pie. It was terrible! She had bought red-stemmed swiss chard. She never made that mistake again. We LOVE rhubarb. I tried growing it last year but it was so dry, I couldn’t keep it alive. :-(
Rhubarb means Spring!!!! These scones look amazing! I’ve been looking for something to make with rhubarb other than the usual pie…and now I’ve found it! Yay!
I freakin’ love rhubarb, and can’t wait to use it. I haven’t seen it in SF yet – we’re getting asparagus like mad though, so gotta keep a look out.
Yum! I love baking with rhubarb. It’s so bright and tart – one of my favorite flavor profiles. I can see how this would be lovely in a scone. Just beautiful! Pinned.
These scones sound so good. The rhubarb-ginger combo is especially inviting!!
I pinned this today and just had to come get the recipe – I love love love scones!
Anisa – The Macadame. xx
http://www.creamstop.com
I got into rhubarb a few years back and now I’m completely addicted to it. These scones look delicious, and this flavor combination sounds terrific!
Killer combo right there!
I just love rhubarb. I can’t wait until it shows up in my grocery store. These scones look amazing!
These look amazing! They are the perfect scone textures. And those vanilla bean seeds are so pretty! I bet your CCC was pretty happy with these!
These look wonderful! I have two enormous rhubarb plants in my yard that produce all summer long, and I’m always looking for ways to use it all up. Love the addition of ginger and vanilla beans. Thanks for the recipe! :)
These scones are screaming spring and I love it!!
I love baking with rhubarb in the spring. I’ve actually never eaten or made scones before, so this is the perfect opportunity for me to try it.
I love rhubarb! Thank you for using it in a dessert :-)
YUM. Love the Rhubarb and Vanilla Combo. Made my mouth water just thinking about the tartness of the Rhubarb!
We have lots of rhubarb in our garden, and this looks like the perfect way to use it! Thank you!
So pretty and sunny and cheery looking! Best use ever of rhubarb!
The pictures look so beautiful!
I just discovered this winter that frozen rhubarb makes EXCELLENT pie filling. I used it in a pie that originally called for canned pineapple. Rhubarb plus sour cream in a pie=yum, and only a few other ingredients, super easy and SO tasty if you like rhubarb.
Michelle, please feel free do delete the comment if it’s too “come look at MY blog”, but here is my rhubarb stuff, in case you are interested:
– Pie with frozen rhubarb: http://pieliekamais.blogspot.se/2014/01/rabarberu-pirags-no-saldetiem.html
– a super time consuming rhubarb pie that I tried from a Spanish blog, not worth the effort in my opinion but boy was it beautiful:
http://pieliekamais.blogspot.se/2013/06/rabarberu-vanilas-krema-pirags.html
– and did you know that these alien looking red dots are rhubarb sprouts (two last pictures)?
http://pieliekamais.blogspot.se/2014/03/rabarberu-asni-un-mednieku-torna.html
It’s sad that Rhubarb is such an unknown ingrediënt, because it is DELICIOUS. I once made a Tiramisu with it. Anyway, I’m definitly going to make these scones!
I’ve always wanted to make a dessert using Rhubarb, but I don’t know that much about it! Love this recipe, it seems so simple and easy! And I especially love the idea of a vanilla bean scone!