Scones

Not just any scones.  Maple syrup scones.  I came across the recipe and just had to have them.  Since my Valentine’s present from the Farmer must have gotten lost in the mail (stupid postal service), I was forced to use syrup from elsewhere.  Which is fine by me.  The Farmer’s charms can’t work on me now that he’s over there and I’m all the way over here, far away from his delicious handiwork.

I’m not usually much of a scone girl.  Too dry and crumbly.  The Cook’s Illustrated recipe for cream scones changed all that for me.  But now I think that recipe just got its ass kicked by this recipe from Rose Carrarini’s Breakfast Lunch Tea.  As scones, they are somewhat crumbly, but with little melting pats of butter or a dab of blueberry jam, they’re wonderful.

A few notes should you decide to make these.  They are best eaten warm out of the oven.  The maple flavor is subtle.  If you prefer to be beaten over the head with a maple stick, you’ll need to pour syrup all over them, and maybe chase that with additional syrup straight from the jug.  It’s okay, I’m willing to look the other way.  Another thing, don’t omit the rolled oats.  Seriously, they won’t be the same without that bewitching chew. 

Finally, I usually use a food processor (gently pulsed) to incorporate the butter into the flour for things like this because that’s what it takes sometimes to get things done.  But it was raining on Saturday and unusually quiet.  The kids were busy dismantling something in the other room, and we don’t have anything nice, so I took that opportunity to work it all in by hand.  Soooo relaxing.  So, you know, if you have the time…

 

Maple Syrup Scones

1¾ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup whole wheat flour
½ cup rolled oats
1 very heaped Tbsp. baking powder
1 very heaped Tbsp. confectioner’s sugar
½ tsp. salt
¾ cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
4 Tbsp. maple syrup
5 Tbsp. milk
1 egg, beaten

Preheat the oven to 400°F and line baking sheet with parchment paper (or just grease it).

Sift the flours into a bowl and mix in the oats, baking powder, sugar, and salt.  Add the butter and rub it in with your fingers until the mixture resembles fresh breadcrumbs, with no stray chunks of butter.

In a small bowl, mix together maple syrup and milk.  Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet.  Use a fork to incorporate the dry into the wet.  Then, use your hands to gently bring everything together without overworking the dough.  You may need to add another tablespoon of milk if it’s too dry.

On a lightly floured surface, pat or roll the dough into an amorphous blob about 1¼-inch thick.  Using a 2-½ inch cutter, cut out rounds and place them on baking sheet so they almost touch.  Brush beaten egg on top (add any remaining egg to your scrambled eggs, if you’re making them).  Bake 20-25 minutes, until lightly golden.  Pull apart when slightly cooled.  Serve warm.

Source: Breakfast Lunch Tea: The Many Little Meals of Rose Bakery by Rose Carrarini.  This is a beautiful cookbook, by the way.  Highly recommended.

Comments

[izzy's mama]

I have yet to make a scone I didn't like..I will definitely give these a try..though I could see how the maple flavor might be subtle..might just add it bit more..

[Deanna]

I have some maple sugar....I might make these and dust the tops..hmm.

Although every time I try to make scones I end up with something more akin to biscuits. But I blame that on my being butter happy.

Oh! and just FYI: Don't try to make phyllo when there's a rowdy 11 month cat in the kitchen. Actually, it wasn't a half bad experience, but it's really not worth the hassle unless you're super bored. I'm sticking to phrozen phyllo. At least until I toss the cat into the oven..I mean..uh..Oops.

[sunny12]

STOP THE CAT CRUELTY!!! Besides, baked cats really aren't that tasty.

But the maple scones sure sound it. I've been meaning to make scones, I've never made them before and always thought they were just sweetened up biscuits.

[Adele]

Scones! And maple-flavored, no less.

I think you've joined the Dark Side. Isn't it fun?

[Gillian]

These sound delicious and just the ticket in case I don't make it to the sugar bush this weekend!

[michelle @ TNS]

i love a scone, and i swear by the cook's illustrated recipe. but i've been hearing so many good things about the book you mentioned; i think i need to get my hands on it.

[Tammy]

Michelle: It's a good one. And I love the style of photography. Thanks for stopping by!

Gillian: Hope you get to go, but these aren't a bad fallback plan.

Adele: I finally get to be with the cool kids.

Sunny12: They kind of are sweetened-up biscuits, which I guess would explain why I like them (as long as they're not too dry).

Deanna: I'm so impressed with your phyllo experiment. It's good to know that it's not worth the effort since that wasn't going to be happening in my kitchen anytime soon. (Feline apprentices are the worst; always sitting on the cookbooks and refusing to wear hairnets.)

Izzy's mama: Couldn't hurt!