The Durham
315 East Chapel Hill Street, Durham
www.thedurham.com

If you could steal one recipe from a local restaurant or bakery or bar, what would it be? Go on, name it! We’re collecting requests at food@indyweek.com, then publishing our favorite finds here.

This week, The Durham’s chef, Andrea Reusing, is sharing all the secrets of her candied ginger scones.

“It was the first pastry we created for the coffee shop at The Durham a few weeks before we opened,” she says. “We wanted to showcase a flavorful flour from Carolina Ground in Asheville in a way that didn’t compromise an ideal buttery scone texture.”

And oh, the texture. If you think scones are dry and boringmake these, immediately. Or just go try them: They’re available every morning at The Durham, so long as the kitchen’s candied ginger supply lasts. Then, the recipe will switch to a date and cardamom doppelganger.

The request for the recipe came from former Durham resident Hanes Motsinger.

“I live in Albuquerque, but in May I stayed a night at the Durham Hotel. They have a continental breakfast and you get your choice of a free breakfast pastry. I chose the ginger scone with Demerara sugar on top. It was the most incredible scone I’ve ever had. I think it must have been made with some sort of whole wheat pastry flour, and it was perfectly moist, spicy, and sweet. If they would share that recipe, I would be so stinkin’ excited!”

Candied Ginger Scones

Credit: Andrea Reusing

For extra flaky scones, keep all ingredients as cold as possible. Cube the butter and keep in the freezer until ready to use. Measure the dry ingredients and dairy and chill before mixing.

4 ounces pastry flour

8 ounces rye flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup turbinado sugar, plus more for topping

3/4 cup cold butter, cubed

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup crème fraîche

1/4 cup stem ginger, drained and chopped into 1/8-inch pieces

Combine the dry ingredients and thoroughly mix. Incorporate the butter quickly using your fingers until the butter is in pea-sized pieces.

Combine the cream and crème fraîche. Add to bowl. Combine until the dough just comes together.

Press the dough into a 9-by-13-inch pan and freeze.

Cut into 9 triangles and sprinkle 1/4 ounce turbinado sugar over each scone, generously covering the tops.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Brush each finished scone with syrup from the stem ginger.