Goat Tang

I'm on a goat milk kick.

A confluence of events has led to this current state. First, the obvious: goat cheese is great. Second, perhaps less-obvious, goats are great. What really got the ball rolling was my friend, Matt, who pointed me to LaLoo's goat milk ice cream. Telling me about it, he looked heaven-ward and nearly drooled while saying "It is sooooooo goooooood". Which is how I found myself purchasing a pint of Rumplemint for the bargain price of $7 at Whole Foods. It is very good... but don't expect ice cream. This is a treat in its own category, nestled somewhere between a post-dinner cheese plate and brownie a la mode. It's got a goat-cheesey tang that I detect near the back of my tongue as it melts in my mouth. I can't wait for cobblers to get in full swing. Goat milk ice cream will lend a sophistication to such homey summertime desserts.

However, at $7 per pint, goat milk ice cream is not a sustainable habit for me. So I bought a quart of goat milk (for about $3.50, we're doing better already) and did some internet research to come up with a recipe. Three egg yolks and two vanilla beans later (now the cost must be a wash), I had myself a pint or so of homemade goat milk ice cream. After ripening overnight in the freezer, it's safe to say that it's okay... not as good as LaLoo's, but it has potential. The texture is excellent. It's not overwhelmingly rich, and not at all icy. The problem with thae recipe I used is that its creator was trying desperately (it seems) to cover up the goat-y flavor, to drown it in vanilla and custardy-eggs and sugar. That needs some tinkering with before I reach bargain goat milk ice cream nirvana. Bring on the goat tang!

In the meantime, I had a few cups of leftover goat milk rattling around my fridge. Scones lept to mind. I had some candied ginger in the cabinet and a few Meyer lemons in the fridge, so I pulled out Nancy Silverton's "Pastries from the La Brea Bakery" and set to work. I browsed all the scone recipes and decided that the proportions of butter-flour-liquid she uses are all similar, regardless of the liquid. So I just substituted the goat milk for the cream.

It worked beautifully. It goes with the lemon-ginger because this is a pastry that borders on savory. Just like with the ice cream and the cheese, the scone has got a subtle tang at the finish that makes your tastebuds sort of sit up in wonder. These scones really are delightful. They're not dense or dry like the ones so often found out in the world. They are layers of flakiness that makes them seem kind of ethereal. The ginger gives a hint of spice, but nothing overwhelming. Its intensity seems to be mellowed by the surrounding pastry. The lemon zest complements both the ginger and the goat milk with a floral bouquet of refreshing citrus. If you can't find Meyer lemons, you might try a combination of lemon and orange zest, finely chopped together, or use regular lemon zest for a more lemon-y punch.

To make the scones,
First, mix together your dry ingredients:
2 1/4 c (270g) all purpose flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/3 c sugar

Then cut in 1.5 sticks (6 oz) cold butter and the lemon zest. I used a pastry cutter to get it going, then rubbed the butter into the flour with my fingers until it resembled a coarse meal. You want flakes of butter to remain intact, so that they melt as little buttery pockets (like with the bobka).

Stick the bowl into the freezer and wash some dishes to distract yourself for a bit. This is kind of like pie crust- you want to keep the butter cold!

After about 10 minutes, take out the bowl, stir in the chopped candied ginger. Fashion a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in 1/2 c. goat milk (or cream, or buttermilk). Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ones with your hand, moving the bowl in a circular direction until the dough starts to come together. If it's not coming together, you can add a few Tbs more liquid, but don't get too crazy. Instead, have some confidence and believe that this is going to work (it will). Dump it out on work surface and fold it on itself a few times until it comes together well (see? I told you it would). Don't overwork the dough.

Roll it out or form it with your hands to be about 3/4" thick. Cut into desired shapes. Because I'm against overly large pastries, I used a 2.5" round. (Monster pastries have taken over. No one needs a 1/2-lb scone. I want a scone to accompany my morning bowl of oatmeal, not as an entire meal to itself.) Re-form any scraps by gently gathering them and then cut out more scones. Avoid re-kneading the scraps or you'll work too much flour into the dough and melt all the buttery pockets you lovingly created.

Brush the tops with a bit of milk/cream/butter/egg, as you please. Bake in the middle of the oven at 400F for about 15 min, or until they begin to brown.

Notes:
I rolled mine out thin, to about 1/4-1/2". While this made many more scones than the recipe promised (they said 8, I got at least 16), it also makes them look more like thick cookies, less like scones. So be sure to roll them thick.

What's next for goatmilk? Good question. I'm thinking of a lemon-rosemary scone, or a polenta poundcake recipe from Moosewood that I think it would be interesting to try in as well. And there will always be the ice cream...