The best scones are homemade and served hot from the oven, with fruit jam and vegan butter. These melt in your mouth pastries are a far cry from those cold, hard lumps of baked dough we find at coffee shops and food markets.
It must be something in my English DNA, because I’ve been making scones since I was 14 years old and no one ever really showed me how to do it. I believe it’s probably an ancestral memory.
In any event, here’s the recipe, which incidentally you can change up with whatever ingredients you have on hand:
use any type of fresh, dried or frozen fruit you like- (chopped apples, pears, cherries, raisins, etc.; use any type of nuts or seeds- (almonds, pecans, sesame seeds, chia seeds, etc.); create your own favorite combinations- (chocolate chips and almonds are one of our favorites).
A basket of warm scones are welcome anytime, whether for breakfast, lunch, teatime or dinner. With 9 inches of snow forecast for today, we’re going to curl up with a basket of Blueberry Walnut Scones, some hot tea and a good movie!
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups organic, unbleached flour
1/4 cup ground flax seed
1/3 cup vegan butter (we like Earth Balance)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup molasses or your favorite liquid sweetener
1 cup frozen or fresh organic Blueberries
1 cup chopped walnuts
2/3 cup non-dairy milk (use more or less as needed)
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and lightly oil a baking sheet.
In a large mixing bowl combine the flour and flax seed. Work the butter into the flour with your hands until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
Stir in the baking powder, mixing well.
Add the molasses, blueberries and walnuts.
Stir in the non-dairy milk and vanilla extract until you have a stiff, yet soft dough which holds together well. Do not over-mix the dough. If the dough is too dry, add a bit more non-dairy milk. Alternately, if the dough is too soft, add a bit more flour. The dough is the right consistency, when with floured hands, you can easily shape it into a ball.
After shaping into a ball, place on oiled baking sheet and pat to flatten slightly. Cut the dough into quarters.
Next, cut the dough again, so that you have 8 wedges. Using a spatula, gently slide the the wedges apart so that they will bake evenly.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until they are golden brown. Serve in a napkin-lined basket, straight from the oven with your favorite spreads.
Makes 8 Scones