Inspired by turn-of-the-century American apothecaries, farmhouse living of the northern East Coast, and intimate British tea rooms, Kitten and the Bear is beloved for its cozy feeling of nostalgia, blue-ribbon collection of signature scones, and hand-crafted, small batch fruit preserves made using time-honoured cooking methods.

Sophie and Bobby, artisanal jam makers and co-founders of Kitten and the Bear, share a heart-warming collection of over 90 recipes to create your own sweet world of glistening jars of jams, jellies, and marmalades, and homespun delights from flaky buttermilk scone sand traditional spreads to savoury treats and hand-crafted drinks. Full of magical flavours and the comfort of home, the recipes range from Strawberry, Raspberry, and Cream Jam; Sunshine Peach Jam; Pink Apple and Lilac Blossom Jelly; Lemon Cream Marmalade; Morning Glory Scones; Blueberry Crumble Scones; and Orange Blossom Angel Food Cake with Fresh Peaches; to Savoury Cheese Sables with Cranberries and Walnuts; Clotted Cream and Potato Quiche; Lavender London Cream; and Baked Apple Toddy. Refined yet understated, the recipes in the Kitten and the Bear Cookbook were written to create homemade delights using easily accessible ingredients and equipment you already have in your pantry, while offering a thorough lesson in jam making theory and the art of preserving.

Embracing the fairy-tale spirit, tradition, and sweet world of Kitten and the Bear, the recipes deliver delicious preserves and baked goods to share and enjoy everyday moments with family and friends.

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Triple Chocolate Scones

YIELD 16 scones

Somewhere between a scone and chocolate cake, chocolate scones are pure decadence—dark and rich, barely sweet with a delicate and fudgy crumb, studded with semisweet chocolate chips and a drizzle of chocolate icing for good measure. These untraditional scones have a reputation of converting even scone purists.

Scones

574 g (3¾ cups + 1 tablespoon) all-purpose flour

50 g (½ cup) Dutch-processed cocoa powder 38 g (3 tablespoons) granulated sugar

4½ teaspoons baking powder

1½ teaspoons baking soda

½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt

340 g (¾ pound) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes

60 to 90 g (½ to ¾ cup) semisweet chocolate chips

375 mL (1½ cups) buttermilk

Egg Wash

1 egg

1 tablespoon water

Chocolate Drizzle

60 g (½ cup) semisweet or dark chocolate chips

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1. Make the scones: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to combine. Drop in the butter and rub into the flour mixture by rolling each cube of butter between your thumb and index finger until mostly incorporated, about 7 minutes. It will have a fine, fluffy texture but should hold together when squeezed. (Alternatively, you can use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed for 5 to 10 minutes. Scrape the flour mixture into a large bowl.) Add the chocolate chips and toss to distribute evenly.
2. Create a well in the centre of the flour mixture. Pour the buttermilk into the well and stir quickly with a fork until a shaggy dough forms, 30 to 60 seconds. The buttermilk should be fully incorporated, and here may still be some dry, crumbly bits in the bottom of the bowl.
3. Dust a work surface generously with flour. Stack the shaggy dough, a handful at a time, onto the work surface to form a layered mound. On the final handful, press the dough into any dry mix in the bottom of the bowl to push as much as possible into the dough. Press down on the dough with your hands to shape it into a rough 10-inch circle, about 1¼ inches thick. (The circle doesn’t have to be perfect.) Cut the dough in half, and then place one half top side down on the other half. Press down on the dough again to form it into an 11 to 12-inch circle, about ¾ inch thick. (The stacking and cutting process will create layers within the scones.)
4. Use a 2½-inch round cookie cutter to punch out rounds, cutting them as close together as possible to maximize the yield. Gather the scraps and press them together (don’t knead or reroll) and punch out more rounds. Transfer the scones to a container in a single layer and chill in the freezer for 4 hours.If you plan to bake the scones later, allow them to freeze, and store them in a resealable plastic bag or airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 month.Bake from frozen.
5. Prepare the egg wash and bake the scones: Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
6. Remove the scones from the freezer and arrange on the lined baking sheet, 2 to 3 inches apart. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water. Using a pastry brush, brush the tops of the scones evenly with the egg wash. Bake for 35 minutes, or until firm to the touch, rotating the pan after 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer the scones to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to cool completely.
7. Meanwhile, prepare the chocolate drizzle: In a small heat-resistant bowl, melt the chocolate chips and butter in the micro- wave on high in 10-second intervals, stirring well after each interval, until the chocolate is shiny but with a few unmelted chips remaining in the mixture, about 30 seconds total. Remove from the microwave and stir until completely melted.
8. Finish the scones: Using a spoon, drizzle the melted chocolate on top of the scones. Let sit to harden for 5 to 10 minutes. Store the scones in a vented plastic container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Excerpted from Kitten and the Bear, Inc. Copyright © 2024 Kitten and the Bear, Inc. Photography by Johanna Martin. Published by Penguin, an imprint of Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.