I first met Margarita Manzke some years ago in Carmel, Calif., where she was making incredibly creative desserts. She and her chef husband Walter opened Republique in Los Angeles a few years later. Her pastry repertoire continues to expand with mouthwatering offerings like fig-tahini cookies, condensed milk pound cake, and chocolate budini, to name a few.

Lucky for us, Manzke has penned her first book, "Baking at Republique" (Lorena Jones Books, 2019), so now we can try our hand at some of her favorites. This book is filled with so many delectable desserts and sweets that my suggestion is to make the scones and give mom the book as your gift. Scones fit into the Seriously Simple repertoire because they are pretty easy to make.

I am partial to the creamy white chocolate and spring sweet-tart strawberry combination. These flavors are just made to go together. Make sure to select fresh strawberries that have a sweet fragrance to them.

Scones can be sweet or savory and couldn't be easier to prepare. The best way to describe them is that they resemble a rustic-looking biscuit. They are meant to be golden brown on top and flaky in the center, and most scones include a bit of heavy cream to give a buttery consistency. The turbinado sugar adds a welcome sugar crust on top of the scone.

I like to make these scones early in the day for a brunch or lunch. Make Mom a simple omelet, scrambled eggs or a frittata, and pair with these uniquely flavored scones to accompany the rest of the menu. These scones would also make a delectable centerpiece for tea along with a few sandwiches and some thick cream.

Strawberry-White Chocolate Scones

Makes 15 scones

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup granulated sugar

Scant 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 pound 5-ounce strawberries, hulled and cut into quarters

1 pound 5-ounce white chocolate, chopped

3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon heavy cream

1/3 cup honey

1/2 cup turbinado sugar, for sprinkling

1. Put the flour, baking powder, granulated sugar, and salt in a large bowl, and thoroughly mix. Add the strawberries and chocolate, and dredge with the dry mixture. Make a well in the center, and set aside.

2. In a separate bowl, mix the cream and honey. Pour into the center of the well. With a plastic dough scraper, slowly bring the dry ingredients into the center. Use a cutting motion with the dough scraper to incorporate the ingredients, being careful to limit the number of times you do this so as not to overwork the dough.

3. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

4. Divide the dough into 4-ounce mounds, and place them, spaced evenly apart, on the prepared baking sheets. Chill for 20 minutes in the freezer.

5. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

6. Sprinkle the tops of the scones generously with the turbinado sugar. Bake the scones until golden brown and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the pans after 12 minutes to ensure even baking. Remove the scones from the baking sheets, and cool on a cooling rack. Serve immediately. These are best the day they are made.

Art courtesy of "Baking at Replublique" (Lorena Jones Books, 2019) by Margarita Manzke with Betty Hallock.

(Diane Rossen Worthington is an authority on new American cooking. She is the author of 18 cookbooks, including "Seriously Simple Parties," and a James Beard Award-winning radio show host. You can contact her at www.seriouslysimple.com.)