In our list of comfort food, scone comes in second after a warm bowl of tomato soup. It was my first time baking scones and boy was I delighted at the cute little scones that came fresh out of the oven. Another reason for baking scones – the house smells lovely! This recipe doesn’t call for butter – even easier since you don’t have to leave the butter to soften – which I always find myself forgetting to do. Despite the long list of ingredients, it’s super easy to whip up. And since it contains seeds and cranberries, the guilt factor is lessened. I couldn’t wait to sink my teeth into the soft, crumbly, warm scone. My husband loves his scones slathered with butter. I like mine just as it is.
Ingredients:
Dry ingredients:
- 300 g Cookie or pastry flour, sifted
- 15 g (1 tbsp) baking powder
- 2 g (1/4 tsp) bicarbonate soda
- 1/2 tsp Fine sea salt
- 50 g Castor sugar
- 30 g Ground almonds
- 30 g Wheat germ
Wet ingredients:
- 80 g Palm oil
- Finely grated zest of 1 large lemon or orange
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 125 g Sour cream
- 1 Large egg, beaten
Filling:
- 100 g Dried cranberries, soaked in boiling water for 5 minutes, drained, gently squeezed of water and spread out on a dish to dry
- 60 g Pumpkin seeds, lightly toasted on low heat for 8-10 minutes
Egg wash or cream/milk glazing:
- 1 Egg + 1 tsp water, beaten with a pinch of salt (or use 2 tbsp whipping cream/milk)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 190 degrees C.
- Mix oil with lemon or orange zest in a bowl and leave for 10 minutes to infuse.
- Place the dry ingredients in a bowl of electric mixer.
- Mix on low with a flat beater (paddle-beater).
- With the mixer on low speed, add the oil mixture and mix until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Add dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds and mix well.
- Mix sour cream with beaten egg.
- Add sour cream mixture while mixing on low speed until the mixture masses onto the beater.
- Press dough together and gently knead 2 to 3 times to form smooth dough (don’t knead on the board – just hold the dough with both hands and smoothen it out).
- Flatten the dough with your palm on a lightly floured work surface or on a plastic sheet to a thickness of 1.5 cm (3/4 inch). For scones, don’t roll too much. Just gently pat on the dough to flatten it (press very lightly).
- Stamp out 15-16 circles with a sharp 6 cm (2 1/4 inch) round cutter. Press straight down without twisting to cut through the dough and lift the cutter straight up; gather the scrapes, reshape, flatten and cut more circles.
- Sprinkle flour at the bottom of the cut dough to prevent it from sticking.
- Place on a baking tray lined with parchment.
- Brush with egg wash or milk or cream glaze.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 14-15 minutes until medium brown.
- Serve warm.
My Journal 