The Ultimate Scones

Blueberry Spelt & Oat Scone

Currant & Pine Nut Cream Scone

Name the most common ingredients in scones. Probably, you would find all-purpose flour, sugar, butter and dairy of some sorts. That’s the blueprint for my go-to cream scones recipe I’ve been baking for years from the CIA (Culinary Institute of America). My good old standby never disappoints and disappears fast. They have gotten much accolades. Delicious, buttery and flaky. If there is a single baked item I am most confident in making, scone would be at the top of the list. When I saw that this blueberry, spelt and oat scones from Clair Ptak, The Voilet Bakery Cookbook had none of the usual suspects, I was most intrigued. If you seek a sugar-free, diary-free vegan scone, there you have it. Your search is over.

It is the most healthful scone I’ve seen. The recipe calls for whole-grain spelt flour, oat flour, agave syrup, maple syrup, almond butter and coconut oil. I have not seen too many scone recipes that use anyone of these ingredients, let alone six of these in one dough. Spelt flour. That, I’m familiar with. I have been making bread with spelt flour for a while. Spelt imparts a nutty, soft and tender characteristics to the bread dough. Oat flour, agave syrup and almond butter are not my everyday pantry items. So I went shopping.

Since I was baking this recipe for the first time for a friend whom I’ve invited for coffee, I wanted to hedge my bets. I made my good old standby cream scones with pine nuts and currants at the same time. This is my favorite scone to eat. I figured that any new scone recipe would have to pass the taste test, comparing it with the cream scone. A rather high hurdle for sure.

One convenient feature about making scones. They are best served the same day they are made. However, the shaped dough can be frozen and brought to the preheated oven when you’re ready to bake. I don’t mind having extra scone dough around ready to be baked directly from the freezer in a moment’s notice.

My friend S is a self-professed adorer of scones — full of life and wisdom from a lifelong career as an educator. She adored the spelt scones. I offered her some leftover scones to take home. Guess what, she chose the blueberry spelt oat scones over the cream scones with currants and pine nuts. There is so much to like about this healthful alternative to the traditional scones. Not much needed to be said, except: try it.

Spelt scone served with blueberry compote and yogurt

 

Cream scone turned golden with egg wash

I am offering you two “ultimate” scone recipes. One is extremely healthful: whole grain, refined-sugar free, low fat and dairy free. And guilt-free. One is a traditional scone at its best: creamy, flaky and buttery. You’d have to decide which one works best for you. “Ultimate” is in the eyes of the beholder!