Before You Begin Anything, Prepare Thoroughly

Written by Lynn Jones on Sep 20, 2011 9:12 am

One of the best ways to be more efficient and get something done faster is for you to have everything you need right at your fingertips before you begin.
When you are fully prepared you are an efficient machine, ready to plunge in and run smoothly to get your job accomplished.

For example, let’s say I want to make the best Scone recipe ever.

Raspberry and White Chocolate Chip Scones

First I have to check the ingredients to see if I have everything on hand.

8 T (1 stick) unsalted butter, frozen whole
1 ½ cups fresh or frozen raspberries
½ cup or so of white chocolate chips
½ cup whole milk
½ cup sour cream
2 cups flour, plus more for dusting the work surface
½ cup sugar and a little extra for sprinkling scones
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest (use the zest from 1 whole lemon, it’s zestier!)
2 T unsalted butter, melted

It’s a good idea to read through the directions ahead of time to familiarize yourself with the steps so you aren’t wasting time being confused while mixing them up.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425. Grate the frozen butter on the holes of a large box grater. If using fresh raspberries, place them in the freezer until needed. If using frozen, measure out and have them ready.

Whisk milk and sour cream in a medium bowl and refrigerate until needed. Combine flour, ½ cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and lemon zest in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the grated butter to the flour mixture and toss with fingers until thoroughly coated.

Combine the wet and dry ingredients together, folding with a spatula until combined. Transfer the dough to a generously floured work surface. Dust the top of the dough with flour and knead with well floured hands, 6-8 times, just until the dough holds together in a ragged ball. Add small amounts of flour as needed to prevent sticking.

This next part may sound tricky, but I assure you after one time, you will get it and whiz right through it the next time.

Roll the dough into a 12-inch square. Fold the dough into thirds like a business letter (using a dough scraper or large pancake turner works good). Fold the short ends of the dough into the center in thirds, to form an approximate 4-inch square. Transfer the dough to plate lighty dusted with flour and chill in the freezer for 5 minutes.

Return the dough to the floured work surface and roll into an approximately 12-inch square again. Sprinkle the raspberries and white chocolate chips evenly over the surface of the dough, pressing down gently so that they are slightly embedded in the dough surface. Using a dough scraper, roll the dough up to form a tight log. Lay the log seam side down and press the log into a 12 by 4-inch rectangle. Using a sharp, floured knife, cut the rectangle crosswise into 4 equal rectangles. Cut each rectangle diagonally to form 2 triangles. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet. (I didn’t have any and just sprayed my baking sheet with Pam.)

Brush the tops of the scones with melted butter and sprinkle lightly with sugar. (At this point you can freeze them and bake the next morning). I usually transfer them from the frozen sheet to a room temperature baking sheet. Bake until the tops and bottoms are golden brown, 18-25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool at least 10 minutes before serving.

This recipe was found on Annies-eats.net under Blueberry Scones. (for easier copying) We adapted it because we love raspberries and white chocolate chips, and are not fans of blueberries.

You can see how making these scones goes a lot smoother preparing everything ahead of time. I am very serious when saying you will NOT be disappointed with these scones. The tart raspberries mixed with the sweet white chocolate with a touch of lemon makes these perfectly light, tender, and buttery scones absolutely yummy! I bet you can’t just eat one!

Just as in your business it is essentially important to set up your work area and make the necessary preparations before beginning your project. This illustration using this delicious recipe is so much more fun than listing all the materials in your office you might need to gather together.

Have I made your mouth salivate for these moist, light, crispy on the edges scones? They are truly a treat and surpass any scones I have ever eaten. That is why I wanted to share Raspberry & White Chocolate Chip Scones with you.

Now get to “work” and enjoy! :)