Vivienne Lorret's Blog, page 23
December 21, 2012
Recipe-Orange Marmalade Scones
Avon Romance asked authors to post their character's favorite recipe for a special holiday collection. In case you missed it, I'm posting the recipe from my novella, Tempting Mr. Weatherstone, and wishing you all a very merry Christmas and a warm, loving New Year.
Ethan Weatherstone prefers his scones with orange marmalade and no complications. In the story, Tempting Mr. Weatherstone, Penelope Rutledge tests that theory by making him question everything he knows about himself.
Since the first bump in the road for these two characters begins over scones and orange marmalade, I thought this would be the perfect recipe to share with you. Combining orange marmalade and orange peel to basic scone ingredients, makes a scrumptious breakfast, brunch or teatime treat. Of course, throw in some dark chocolate and scrumptious suddenly turns into decadent.
Please enjoy this recipe along with my wish for you to have a wonderful holiday season filled with warm embraces, shared laughter, and lots of love.
Orange Marmalade Scones w/ Dark Chocolate Chunks
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. cinnamon
¼ cup light brown sugar
½ cup butter or margarine
¼ cup orange marmalade
2 tsp. grated orange peel
1/3 cup dark chocolate chunks
1/3 cup orange juice
1 tbsp. orange marmalade for brushing
2 tsp. raw sugar for sprinkling
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, brown sugar, and butter into your food processor. Pulse until crumbly and butter is fully incorporated. Add marmalade and orange peel, and pulse again until mixed. Toss in the luscious dark chocolate chunks and pulse while slowly pouring in the orange juice (do this until the dry, crumbly bits on the bottom are all incorporated into the dough).
Place dough on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Form dough into a disc, approximately eight inches in diameter. Melt 1 tablespoon of orange marmalade in the microwave and brush across the top of the dough. Sprinkle with raw sugar. Cut disc into eight wedges and separate to bake.
Bake 15 to 20 minutes. Enjoy!
Side note: Penelope Rutledge prefers hers slathered with Devonshire cream, whereas Ethan Weatherstone allows himself a moderate addition of orange marmalade. However, when the two are combined, they’re absolutely delicious.
Tempting Mr. Weatherstone can be found in Five Golden Rings: A Christmas Collection, available now.
Ethan Weatherstone prefers his scones with orange marmalade and no complications. In the story, Tempting Mr. Weatherstone, Penelope Rutledge tests that theory by making him question everything he knows about himself.
Since the first bump in the road for these two characters begins over scones and orange marmalade, I thought this would be the perfect recipe to share with you. Combining orange marmalade and orange peel to basic scone ingredients, makes a scrumptious breakfast, brunch or teatime treat. Of course, throw in some dark chocolate and scrumptious suddenly turns into decadent.
Please enjoy this recipe along with my wish for you to have a wonderful holiday season filled with warm embraces, shared laughter, and lots of love.
Orange Marmalade Scones w/ Dark Chocolate Chunks
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. cinnamon
¼ cup light brown sugar
½ cup butter or margarine
¼ cup orange marmalade
2 tsp. grated orange peel
1/3 cup dark chocolate chunks
1/3 cup orange juice
1 tbsp. orange marmalade for brushing
2 tsp. raw sugar for sprinkling
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, brown sugar, and butter into your food processor. Pulse until crumbly and butter is fully incorporated. Add marmalade and orange peel, and pulse again until mixed. Toss in the luscious dark chocolate chunks and pulse while slowly pouring in the orange juice (do this until the dry, crumbly bits on the bottom are all incorporated into the dough).
Place dough on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Form dough into a disc, approximately eight inches in diameter. Melt 1 tablespoon of orange marmalade in the microwave and brush across the top of the dough. Sprinkle with raw sugar. Cut disc into eight wedges and separate to bake.
Bake 15 to 20 minutes. Enjoy!
Side note: Penelope Rutledge prefers hers slathered with Devonshire cream, whereas Ethan Weatherstone allows himself a moderate addition of orange marmalade. However, when the two are combined, they’re absolutely delicious.
Tempting Mr. Weatherstone can be found in Five Golden Rings: A Christmas Collection, available now.
December 19, 2012
The Next Big Thing Blog Hop
Fellow Avon Impulse and Five Golden Rings author Karen Erickson tagged me to participate in The Next Big Thing blog hop and answer a few questions about the book I'm currently working on. So let's get to it!
What is your working title of your book?
Tempted by Revenge.
Originally, it was called Loving Lissandra. However, through my process of getting-to-know the hero and heroine, I created a family tree. Among the branches, I discovered a slew of potential new characters, inspiring an entire Tempted by… series. Honestly, I can’t wait to get started on the next one.
Where did the idea come from for the book?
Fabio.
Oh. Was I supposed to elaborate? ;)
Whilst admiring one of his covers, I happened to look away from his flowing golden locks and bared chest and there it was—the inspiration.
Embracing the heroine, he had one hand spanning her slender waist and the other wrapped around her wrist. Focusing on the whole picture, it screamed sex. Yet, zeroing in on that hand on her wrist, it screamed conquer, capture…
So I asked myself, why (other than the obvious reason) would he capture her? Perhaps she was on the run and he’d found her. If she was hiding, then perhaps she’d done something horrible. Unforgivable. And with that thought, Tempted by Revenge was born.
What genre does your book fall under?
Regency romance.
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
Without a doubt, I’d choose Chris Hemsworth to play the hero. Dagon Winter possesses that same type of ferocious intensity I witnessed from Thor. Sigh…
As for the actress who’d play Lissandra…she would need to be someone who possesses a palpable mixture of courage and strength that the hero finds absolutely irresistible.
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
On the run for murdering the Earl of Pennington, Lissandra’s escape falls short when his heir finds her—now, out for revenge, Dagon will stop at nothing until he’s satisfied.
Will your book be self-published or published by an agency?
I have my heart set on Avon Impulse. My experience with the Christmas anthology, Five Golden Rings, has been amazing.
In addition to having incredible talent, my fellow authors are supportive, caring and funny. The staff at Avon are wonderfully insightful and generous with their time and expertise. I feel like I belong to a family, and I’d like to keep that feeling going. :)
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
The first draft took me 45 days. However, after some soul searching and a little advice, I ripped out the secondary plot. Ugh…It was painful, but entirely necessary.
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Hmm…this is a difficult question for me. Growing up as the youngest of three girls, I was always compared to my sisters. So, in fairness to Tempted by Revenge and all the other Regency romances out there, let me say that they all have individual traits that make them unique. :D
Who or what inspired you to write this book?
Other than the Fabio cover and Chris Hemsworth as Thor? Um...
Wait. Did you just ask me a question? My mind went blank for a moment.
What else about your book might pique the reader's interest?
Murder, lust, revenge, seduction… a cornucopia of interest-piquing delights!
I’ve had such fun writing Tempted by Revenge. I look forward to sharing an excerpt with you soon!
Instead of tagging five other authors to blog next week (12/26), I’m going to leave this as an open invitation.
What is your working title of your book?
Tempted by Revenge.
Originally, it was called Loving Lissandra. However, through my process of getting-to-know the hero and heroine, I created a family tree. Among the branches, I discovered a slew of potential new characters, inspiring an entire Tempted by… series. Honestly, I can’t wait to get started on the next one.
Where did the idea come from for the book?
Fabio.
Oh. Was I supposed to elaborate? ;)
Whilst admiring one of his covers, I happened to look away from his flowing golden locks and bared chest and there it was—the inspiration.
Embracing the heroine, he had one hand spanning her slender waist and the other wrapped around her wrist. Focusing on the whole picture, it screamed sex. Yet, zeroing in on that hand on her wrist, it screamed conquer, capture…
So I asked myself, why (other than the obvious reason) would he capture her? Perhaps she was on the run and he’d found her. If she was hiding, then perhaps she’d done something horrible. Unforgivable. And with that thought, Tempted by Revenge was born.
What genre does your book fall under?
Regency romance.
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
Without a doubt, I’d choose Chris Hemsworth to play the hero. Dagon Winter possesses that same type of ferocious intensity I witnessed from Thor. Sigh…
As for the actress who’d play Lissandra…she would need to be someone who possesses a palpable mixture of courage and strength that the hero finds absolutely irresistible.
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
On the run for murdering the Earl of Pennington, Lissandra’s escape falls short when his heir finds her—now, out for revenge, Dagon will stop at nothing until he’s satisfied.
Will your book be self-published or published by an agency?
I have my heart set on Avon Impulse. My experience with the Christmas anthology, Five Golden Rings, has been amazing.
In addition to having incredible talent, my fellow authors are supportive, caring and funny. The staff at Avon are wonderfully insightful and generous with their time and expertise. I feel like I belong to a family, and I’d like to keep that feeling going. :)
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
The first draft took me 45 days. However, after some soul searching and a little advice, I ripped out the secondary plot. Ugh…It was painful, but entirely necessary.
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Hmm…this is a difficult question for me. Growing up as the youngest of three girls, I was always compared to my sisters. So, in fairness to Tempted by Revenge and all the other Regency romances out there, let me say that they all have individual traits that make them unique. :D
Who or what inspired you to write this book?
Other than the Fabio cover and Chris Hemsworth as Thor? Um...
Wait. Did you just ask me a question? My mind went blank for a moment.
What else about your book might pique the reader's interest?
Murder, lust, revenge, seduction… a cornucopia of interest-piquing delights!
I’ve had such fun writing Tempted by Revenge. I look forward to sharing an excerpt with you soon!
Instead of tagging five other authors to blog next week (12/26), I’m going to leave this as an open invitation.
