Guest Post (and a Giveaway!): Anneka R. Walker & The Dreaming Beauty

Welcome to the Blog + Review Blitz for The Dreaming Beauty by Anneka R. Walker, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours! I’m delighted that Anneka is here today to share a yummy recipe that plays a key role in her romance novel!

THE DREAMING BEAUTY by Anneka R. Walker
SERIES: Standalone follow-up to The Masked Baron
GENRE: Clean & Wholesome Romance / Historical / Regency / Fairy Tale
PUBLISHER: Covenant Communications
RELEASE DATE: July 11, 2022
PAGES: 315

Once upon a dream, two cursed people fell in love . . .

Tansy White doesn’t want to end up alone like her three aunts who raised her, but when she is betrayed by her would-be betrothed, she fears she might never change her fate. At her aunts’ suggestion, she seizes the chance to visit Rose Cottage, the country home of her late mother. For years, dreams of the cottage have haunted Tansy, and she is convinced it holds the answer to her hidden past. But after getting caught in a terrible storm, she meets a man who is just as determined as she is to learn all her secrets.

Marcus Taylor, brother to the Duke of Westmorland, is also troubled by vivid dreams. On a sleepless night, as a tempest rages outside his brother’s estate, he makes a discovery far more mysterious than any dream: a young woman, cold as ice, lies unconscious in the library, and he is sure she is the key to solving his problems. When she wakes, what begins as a shared quest for information turns into an unexpected friendship. As they piece together the fragments of their pasts, they discover a tangled web of lies, and their feelings for each other become just as entwined. But is their love as strong as their dreams . . . or their fate?

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by Anneka R. Walker, author of The Dreaming Beauty

Comfort food is real, and it often is for my characters as well. But did you know it can be a romantic element in a story too? In The Dreaming Beauty, Tansy White hides from a storm in a strange house and falls asleep. When she awakens, she is ill and has to be cared for by strangers. Her first comfort comes in the form of a delicious jam-filled, lemon-glazed scone. The hero in the story notices her love for the scones and rewards Tansy with them often. I recreated these scones for my family and if I was the swooning type, my kids would’ve had to pick me up off the floor because they were that good. Instead, I just devoured way too many of them and had to make them again the next week! I’m generously sharing Tansy’s scone recipe with you, because everyone needs to try them at least once. And the secret to enjoying them to completion? Eat them while reading my book!

Jam-filled, Lemon-glazed Scones

Recipe adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 8 large or 16 small scones

~*~*~*~*~

Ingredients

• 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour, plus more for hands and work surface
• 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup (1 stick; 115g) unsalted butter, frozen
• 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy creamor buttermilk (plus 2 Tbsp for brushing)
• 1 large egg
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• ¼ cup favorite jam

Lemon Glaze

• 1 ¼ cup powdered sugar
• 1-2 Tablespoons lemon juice (according to taste preference)
• 1 Tablespoon butter melted
• 1 Tablespoon milk

Instructions

1. Whisk flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder together in a large bowl. Grate the frozen butter using a box grater. Add it to the flour mixture and combine with a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingers until the mixture comes together in pea-sized crumbs (if using food processor, crumbs will be finer). Place in the refrigerator or freezer as you mix the wet ingredients together.
2. Whisk 1/2 cup heavy cream, the egg, and vanilla extract together in a small bowl. Drizzle over the flour mixture, add fruit add-ins if desirable, then mix together until everything appears moistened.
3. To make triangle scones:Pour onto the counter and, with floured hands, work dough into a ball as best you can. Dough will be sticky. If it’s too sticky, add a little more flour. If it seems too dry, add 1-2 more Tablespoons heavy cream. If adding jam, divide the dough into equal halves (can use a scale). Press each half into an 8 inch round circle. Put jam in the middle of one circle. Do not put on outer one inch of circle. On the bare inch, brush with cream or egg wash to seal the dough to the next layer. Then place second circle on top of first. Pinch outer edges together by pressing it down lightly with a fork around the perimeter. With a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut into 8 wedges. If some jam oozes out while cutting or baking, it’s okay!

*If not using jam during the baking: Press dough into an 8-inch disc and, with a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut into 8 wedges. For smaller scones, press dough into two 5-inch discs and cut each into 8 wedges. *We love the smaller scones!

4. Optional: Brush scones with remaining heavy cream before baking.
5. Place scones on a plate or lined baking sheet (if your fridge has space!) and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
7. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat(s). If making mini or drop scones, use 2 baking sheets. After refrigerating, arrange scones 2-3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet(s).
8. Bake for 16-25 minutes or until golden brown around the edges and lightly browned on top. Larger scones take closer to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for a few minutes before topping with optional toppings listed in the ingredients.
9. *If you did not bake the scones with jam, you can cut them in half and spread jam in the middle after they have cooled for a few minutes.
10. While baking, prepare the lemon glaze by melting butter then adding it to the powdered sugar, and lemon juice. Add milk to thin and mix until creamy. Pipe/drizzle glaze on scones after they have cooled for a few minutes, but still warm.

Leftover scones keep well at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for 5 days.

FOR VIDEO/VISUAL HELP

https://www.joyofbaking.com/SconesfilledwitheJam.html

https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/scones-recipe/#tasty-recipes-70506-jump-target

Anneka Walker is an award-winning author raised by a librarian and an English teacher turned judge. After being fed a steady diet of books, she decided to learn about writing. The result was a bachelor’s degree in English and history. When she isn’t dreaming up a happy ending for a story, she is busy living her own with her husband and adorable children.

Connect with Anneka by visiting annekawalker.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

(1) winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card, The Dreaming Beauty, signed book plate, matching bookmark, stickers, and button!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight August 15, 2022 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on August 22, 2022. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

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This giveaway is hosted by JustRead Tours, not RimSP
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

What about you? What makes you want to read The Dreaming Beauty by Anneka R Walker? If you make those yummy scones, let me know (and invite me over)!