Chocolate Chip Coconut Scones

This past weekend was my 18th wedding anniversary.  Last year we had the fortunate blessing of being able to take our family to Mauni Lani Resort in Kona for a special, beautiful anniversary week.

With all our unfortunate weather we have been having this month, it has made me yearn for Hawaii even more this week.  Our first morning we woke up on the island, my husband and I treated ourselves to a taste of Hawaii with Kona coffee and chocolate chip coconut scones.  I have been desperately craving them since.

Last year's Kona coffee and anniversary scones.

Well, I was determined this week to bring back some of those tastes and wonderful memories of our family vacation to us this week.  I started off this weekend with creating my own Chocolate Chip Coconut Scones.  Oh dear heaven, they were amazing!!

Chocolate Chip Coconut Scones
Adapted from Joy The Baker
(makes 12 scones)

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons raw or granulated sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
1 large egg
3/4 cup, plus 2 Tablespoons buttermilk
1/2 cup shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

buttermilk and sugar for topping, before baking

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place shredded coconut on parchment paper lined baking sheet

and toast in the oven about 8 to 10 minutes.

Keep your eye on the coconut, it browns quickly.

Remove from oven when toasted and let cool.

* Heat oven now to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Toss the cold butter into the flour mixture.  Using your hands,

quickly work the butter into flour mixture, breaking it up with

your fingers.  Some butter bits will be the size of small pebbles,

 and some will be the size of oat flakes.  Set in the refrigerator for a few minutes.

Whisk together buttermilk and egg.

Remove the flour and butter mixture from the refrigerator and

add the coconut and chocolate chips.  Whisk together.

Make a well in the center of mixture.  Add the buttermilk

mixture all at once to the well.  Use a fork to bring the wet and 

dry ingredients together.  Mixture will be shaggy.

Lightly flour a work surface and dump the shaggy dough mixture

onto the counter.  Bring together the dough with your hands into

a 1-1/2 inch thick disk.  Use a 2-1/2 inch square pastry cutter to

cut out scones.  Flour the cutter if it starts to stick.

Place scones about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet.

(I used the same sheet that I toasted the coconut).

Brush with a bit of buttermilk and sprinkle a few pinches 

of granulated sugar.

 Bake scones for 14-18 minutes, until golden brown and cooked

through.  Remove from oven and serve warm.

Aloha!!!

Happy Anniversary

Happy Anniversary to my honey.  Seventeen years ago today, I married my best friend in Indian Wells, CA on the most beautiful setting around lakes and waterfalls with 125 of our family and closest friends.

The greatest gift ever, this morning I woke up in our beautiful condo at Mauna Lani on the Kohala Coast for my anniversary, along the Pacific Ocean with my husband and girls.

I have always been drawn to Hawaii ever since my mom brought us to Maui when I was younger.  My mom was born in Hawaii and it is told that her grandmother was a seamstress for the Royal Family.  I always knew I came from royalty.

The Big Island Of Hawaii, as it is known, was first introduced to us by JoAnne and Dick, my brother and sister-in-law 12 years ago when they graciously included us in their summer vacation to the Mauna Kea Resort.

The famous Mauna Kea Resort.
One of the world's top rated beaches.

They brought us back the following year and we were hooked ever since.  We have not been here for 10 years but the minute I stepped on the Mauna Lani private beach with my girls, it was like a day had never passed.

View from our Master Bedroom lanai - breathtaking.

In the beginning.....

I am still drooling looking at this photo and
remembering the sweet morning.

We went to the resort market and found this darling coffee shop that served hot Coconut Mochas and Chocolate Chip and Coconut Scones - oh dear heaven I have never had such an amazing breakfast (if you can call it that).

A beautiful day to remember...

The Mauna Kea famous "Frederico" that we
created for tonight's happy hour.

Tonight's incredible sunset from our patio.

Best party ever....photos courtesy of my scrapbook from GGMa.

We made a wonderful dinner for our family anniversary...grilled up some Spencer steaks, roasted purple potatoes, sauteed mushrooms and ceasear salad - better than any steak house could make up.  Here is the bigger question...why does food taste so much better when you are on vacation?  We have made this same dinner a hundred times, but tonight's meal was exceptional !!