happy 4th blogiversary to dng! let’s talk a bit about my blogging journey.
i didn’t start posting pictures regularly until 2 years in. i was in denial that pictures mattered in creating blog gold, and thought i could scrape by on my charming wit. hah. everything i post now has pictures, though my photography is still a work in progress. i attribute this slow learning curve (in addition to my haphazard social media “strategy” and tendency to use this blog as an outlet rather than a true side hustle) to why i haven’t fulfilled my romanticized vision of dropping out of college to be a full time food blogger.
and in my apathetic, why am i in college i don’t like studying i don’t even study i watch youtube all day but really i should go out when am i eating kbbq next can i go home next weekend why am i not in disneyland mode at the beginning of college (understatement: i did not like my freshman year of college), this bugged me. what was the point of all this time and energy and commitment put into something that had no roi, which would then indirectly lead me to being yet another stereotypical asian coder in the bay area?
eventually, my purpose for having a blog evolved. i typically don’t spend that much time looking back at my old posts, but i do find it therapeutic to use this blog as a journal for what i’m experiencing and thinking. and if you’ve read other bloggers’ reasonings as to why they blog, this rationale is common. it’s probably still the main reason i blog (rather than just cook/bake, because let’s be honest, i’d still be baking/cooking sans blog, though probably not in quite a frenzy like i do now).
but i’m most grateful for this blog because of the professional opportunities it has given me. i’m not exactly sure why i landed that very first internship almost two years ago, though i suspect it has something to do with dng. it’s easy to feel like a dime a dozen when you continually hear about how saturated the food blog world is, but having a blog (food or otherwise) still rings special and hints at your commitment and desire to self-learn. so, to my blog: thank you for forcing me to learn how to communicate in a rambling/semi-entertaining way, thank you for forcing my brain to stretch and function in ways it previously hadn’t. i appreciate you.
okay, milk chocolate chunk scones with strawberry whipped cream time. i think you deserve them now. i was going to post my annual blogiversary cake (okay, cupcakes). they’re great, if i do say so myself, but you’re going to have to wait a bit longer to see them. i found out about international scone week (which was made up on a whim, aka perfect for me), and knew i had to share these scones instead.
you might try to overthink this. i can imagine it: oooh, what if i did half dark chocolate and half milk chocolate? don’t. just don’t. mother (stella parks) knows best. stick to the milk chocolate. otherwise, they won’t be sweet enough. regardless, the scones have crispy edges no matter how anemic they may look (though ofc you can bake them longer until they look gbd), with tender innards. the fluffy strawberry whipped cream uses a really cool technique that allows the finished whipped cream to be dense and ridiculously spoonable, with a nice hit of strawberry. perfect for a blogiversary celebration, or a nice brunch.
1 year ago: Thai Tea Vietnamese Coffee Cake, Vaguely Thai Zucchini Salad
2 years ago: Caramelized Nectarine Cake, Vietnamese Spring Rolls
3 years ago: Eggplant with Chickpeas, Feta and Spicy Tomato Sauce, Layered Almond Shortbread Bars
4 years ago: Kimchi Tofu Dumplings, Happy Corn Day
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 T baking powder
- 2 tsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 4 T cold unsalted butter cut into 1/2” cubes
- 1 cup roughly chopped milk chocolate
- 1/4 cup milk cold
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream cold
- turbinado sugar for sprinkling
- 1/4 cup freeze-dried strawberries
- 2 T granulated sugar
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream cold
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Whisk together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Cut in the butter with a fork, your fingers or a pastry blender until a coarse meal forms. Add the chocolate and toss to combine, then stir in the dairy to form a soft dough.
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Turn onto a lined baking sheet and pat into a 7” round. Cut into 6 wedges, sprinkle generously with turbinado sugar and spread out on the baking sheet.
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Bake at 400F until puffed and golden, about 25 minutes. They might look crumbly and pale, but don't worry, things will work out. If you like, serve with clotted cream and strawberry jam, or a spoonful of strawberry whipped cream.
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For the strawberry whipped cream: in a food processor, grind the fruit and sugar until powdery and fine. If you notice some clumps that refuse to pulverize, strain or pick out those pieces. Add the cream and stir with a fork to ensure that there are no dry pockets, then pulse until thick and creamy like Greek yogurt, less than 2 minutes. The time will vary depending on your machine, so watch carefully to stop it before you make butter (though there are worse things than strawberry butter).
From Stella Parks via Serious Eats. You can make smaller scones, just be sure to decrease the baking time!
more brunch goodies
Happy blogaversary and thanks for taking part! My first few years of photos are horrid. But I thought it was all about the recipes then 🙂
thanks, tandy! interesting how our priorities shift as we learn about what really matters (in blogging and otherwise!).
Happy blogiversary!!!! I love reading your blog and am always entertained as well as get a great recipe!!! Have a great week my dear 🙂 xoxo
thanks, kelly!
Happy blogiversary! These scones sound fah-reaking incredible. Butter + chocolate = BEST treat ever :). Have a great week!
convinced that nothing could be bad with chocolate and butter (; though i do remember this one time that i tried being healthy and used stevia instead of sugar, and i can honestly say i’ve never had a worse cookie.
Happy 4th blogiversary Heather!!! I am so glad that I found your blog because I love reading it -your posts are great and you definitely have charming wit! 😉 And your milk chocolate chunk scones sound fabulous! I am sipping on tea as I write this message and I wish I could munch on one right now! 🙂
aww, thanks alia! (also, tea + blogging sounds perfect).
Happy Blogiversary! I love this recipe – I never thought of using freeze-dried berries in a whipped cream – that’s a great idea! And chocolate chip scones, I mean, really – that’s the best flavor ever! You have wonderfully charming and witty blog, keep up the great work!
it’s ingenious! highly recommend checking out stella park’s other ideas (ie toasted sugar) if you haven’t seen them already!
Scones Scones everywhere, this is the 4th recipe I’ve seen for scones this month. Maybe the universe is trying to tell me something. Like MAKE SCONES!!! lol, Happy 4 Year Blogiversary my friend 🙂 I’ve really enjoyed reading http://www.deliciousnotgorgeous.com. My blog is a work in progress, looking back to where I’ve started to where I am now I know everything will get better. I have the dream of being a full-time blogger also I’m half way there but not yet. So happy for all of you professional opportunities your blog has opened up for you. that’s just exciting 🙂 Super proud of you Heather
the universe is definitely telling you to make scones! (;
Happy Happy Happy blogiversary! I love visiting your blog Heather – it is charming, honest and witty 🙂 Thats why we keep coming back. Also your recipes are awesome. I mean chocolate chip scones??? Yes please! These sound like the perfect thing to go with my cup of tea right now x
thanks ruby! these scones are indeed perfect with tea (:
These scones sound like everything I’ve ever ever made. HAPPY BLOGIVERSARY!
thanks!!
Happy blogiversary, Heather! I’m sure you’d agree with the saying of ‘what a long strange road it’s been.’ 🙂 But I do agree with you about the number of food blogs out there. It’s easy to feel like one tiny grain of rice in a sea of lots of rice…but in the end the blog is an outlet. It’s a place to go where you have full control, and that’s worth something! Plus, as you noted, food blogs often tend to push the boundaries of your cooking/baking abilities, and that’s always fun. Great decision to go with scones here. These look amazing!
a single grain of rice can tip the scale (i mostly typed that because i wanted to quote mulan)! anyways, you’re so right about all the freedom that having a blog offers! i didn’t realize how controlled corporate social media can be, so it makes me grateful that i can bake as i please on here (:
Happy blogiversary Heather!! Blogging is definitely a learning process and I’m amazed just how much there is to learn….I feel like there’s something new every day. I do enjoy it, though, cause it’s a great way to share recipes and stories and meet some awesome people 🙂 Those scones look amaze balls, by the way and strawberry whipped cream? Yes please! That sounds super good!! Hope your week is going great 🙂
agreed about the endless possibility to learn! sometimes that becomes overwhelming, but the majority of the time all that i still have to learn feels exhilarating (:
Happy Blog Anniversary! Those scones are surely a perfect treat and looks quite flaky to me. Starting the blog is one of the best decisions I made several years ago and still love it. Hope you never give up and keep sharing stunning recipes 🙂
thanks kankana!
Happy Blogiversary! Running a food blog is a big commitment and maintaining it for 4 years is amazing! There is always so much to learn. Anyway, I’m craving these scones now. I’d love one with extra strawberry whipped cream, please!
i somehow had leftover whipped cream after this batch of scones was gone, and i maybe (DEFINITELY) spooned it straight into my mouth. so good :3
Happy bloggerversary! Great scones to celebrate with! They look and sound amazing
thanks patrick!
Happy blogaversary Heather! OMG those chocolate chip scones with the strawberry whipped cream are definitely sin-worthy in an awesome way! Way to celebrate!! 😀
thanks kim!!
Happy blogiversary and I have to say that your pictures look very well. Thank you for your visit on my blog and for your comment.
Wish you a beautiful evening.
Greetings,
Flo
my photography is still a work in progress (it’s amazing how something that looked so good last month doesn’t quite give me the same pride the next month after more practice), but thanks!
Happy blogiversary, Heather! You have the perfect chocolate-strawberry treat to celebrate!!! These scones look so soft and topped with that pretty-in-pink whipped cream…YUM.
yes i love the shade of pink that the whipped cream turned out to be too!
Happy Blog Anniversary Heather!! I am with you on the photography part.. I suck at my photos even now :D. But I love my blog! And that for me is the most important thing about blogging! You are doing great 🙂 Keep up the good work! Those scones look fantastic and that strawberry whipped cream is like the icing on the cake! Yumminess 🙂
totally agree that personal enjoyment is important for blogging! the day that it starts feeling like a chore is when i should re-evaluate if its worth so much time and effort.
These look delicious but that strawberry whipped cream sounds like the perfect thing to serve alongside them!
thanks! the whipped cream definitely takes these to another level (:
Happy Happy Blogiversary Heather! wow as someone who just completed my first year of blogging 4 years seems like a huge achievement!! Eating chocolate for breakfast is my fav thing so thank you for chocolate scones! Looks awesome.
oh yes i love sweet things for breakfast too, so i definitely get you on the chocolate for breakfast (:
4 years is a long time!! Happy blogiversary!! We’re all glad that you keep going. That strawberry whipped cream sounds fabulous!!
thanks katherine!!
Lololol, your blog journey sounds a lot like mine. Happy blogiversary!!
I haven’t made scones in FOREVER! This sounds perfect!
if a blog journey isn’t tinged with confusion and wandering, is it really a blog journey? (; if it’s not, i feel like you either got very lucky or it’s not your first rodeo.
I’m very curious abour this strawberry whipped cream, it does look very good 🙂
yeah! i was skeptical the first time i tried it, and wasn’t convinced that the liquid cream would do anything besides splosh around in the food processor, but i was definitely proved wrong (:
Happy 4th blogiversary! I’m sure the blog will continue to open up doors for you.
thanks shauna!
Congratulations on making it to 4 years, it really is such an achievement, I’ve come across so many abandoned blogs and think why? Especially when the photography is good (I struggle everyday with it) and the writing has been whitty. I think the commitment can be overwhelming especially when it’s time to post and you just don’t have the time. But you have persevered and you have a great blog and it’s already opening doors for you! Congratulations again 🙂
i definitely think it’s the commitment! and some people have shifted priorities, which makes sense too. recently adam of the amateur gourmet rebooted his blog, and a lot of people (myself included!) are excited about that (:
Happy 4th year dude! 🙂 I totally agree with you there, a blog really forces you to learn a lot and keep learning – there’s always something new to learn >_< haha Keeps us on our toes! You have a awesome blog and you're a super duper awesome person! Don't change! 🙂
p.s. I think I could totally just there with the strawberry whipped cream and eat it with a spoon haha! 🙂
yes, always something to learn!! i think it’s most annoying to have to adapt to things we have no control over, versus learning a new concept that will hold in good stead for a while. but anyways, most certainly went in with a spoon (;
Happy 4th Heather! Looks like you’ve combined everybody’s favorite flavors into your scrumptious looking scone =)
thanks! it’s essentially a chocolate dipped strawberry now that i think of it, which is never a bad idea (;
OMG WITH STRAWBERRY WHIPPED CREAM! I can’t even right now. This all just sounds – SOOOOOOOO SWWOOOONNNN worthy!!!!
AND OF COURSE Happy BLOGAVERSARY! I was too distracted by your recipe to write it earlier – LOL!
i get it, swoon worthy whipped cream takes precedence (; thanks!
these sound absolutely delicious. yum! of course strawbs and chocolate are a match made in heaven. love the strawberry cream idea. and happy blogiversary to you. blogging is fun and yep photos are really necessary to spice it up. happy blogging.
thanks, sherry! i used to read cookbooks like novels, no pictures necessary to keep my interest, so i thought no one else needed pictures either (silly me!).