Oat Fruit Scones
It's really feeling like winter--at Seward Park today, the trees looked distressingly barren. I read a science feature on NPR recently that said leaves don't really fall from trees--they're pushed off in order to preserve the tree. Turns out the tree is much more proactive than just waiting for the wind to come along.
When I think about change, the cliché is true--change is the only thing that's constant. But it's also true that life is sometimes preserved when we meet change head-on, when we don't wait around for that last big gust of wind before taking charge. Lately, I've been living in the middle of this paradox. I have zero control of the cosmic things (life, death, destiny) but tons of control in my day-to-day and moment-to-moment choices. And one thing the seasons teach me is that everything in life is seasonal, especially for women and mothers. If it's horrible, it will get better. If things are wonderful, those seasons end, too.
No matter what season you're in--winter, spring, summer, or fall--warm scones in the morning might help you navigate it. Growing up, I'd often wake up to the smell of my mom baking in the kitchen. I remember lying in bed, wondering what she'd made and soaking in a few minutes of calm before my carpool or school bus or rounding up homework. Isn't it funny? I thought I had worries then. I wish I could go back to Little Sarah and tell her that algebra test wasn't worth all the angst.
I've been making some version of these scones for years and am more and more satisfied with them every time. I've made them for baby showers; potlucks in graduate school; early morning meetings in my office days; and now for my kids who have little worries of their own. Bring it on, wintertime. We're ready.
Oat Fruit Scones
Adapted from How to Bake by Nick Malgieri. He uses raisins, which are actually quite good in these--makes them taste like big, soft oatmeal raisin cookies. I'm not normally a raisin fan, but make an exception for these. I like to bake mine in a round and cut them apart after removing them from the oven. The tops are crisp, but the sides are still totally tender. Quicker, too.
1 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 c. oats
1/3 c. light brown sugar
1 Tb. baking powder
1/2 ts. baking soda
1 ts. salt
8 Tb. (1 stick) cold unsalted butter
1 c. coarsely chopped dried apricots
1/2 c. coarsely chopped prunes
1 c. buttermilk, plus more for brushing tops
1 Tb. sugar mixed with 1/4 ts. ground cinnamon
Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 450.
Combine dry ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse 5 times.
Cut the butter into 12 pieces, add to the bowl, and pulse 12 times, until the mixture resembles fine meal. Add the dried fuit and cup of milk and pulse 3 or 4 times to form a very soft dough.
Generously flour your work surface, turn the dough out onto it, and fold it over on itself 3 or 4 times, until it is less sticky.
Make one large disc and cut it into 8-12 wedges (don't separate them) or make two discs, cutting each into 4 or 6 wedges, depending on how big you want your scones. Brush top with buttermilk and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
Bake scones for 15-20 minutes, until they are golden and firm. Be careful not to overbake.
November 28, 2009
Reader Comments (17)
Thanks for the food for thought. Gotta run, that soft boiled egg just isn't cutting it this morning after drooling over these scones. Trust me, these are some of the best scones I've eaten. I need to go throw a batch in the oven, after all it is Sunday.
I have never been a scone fan, but these look too good to pass up.
I love dried fruits.......and oats make them healthy (and now I can use up that container of buttermilk!).
Stacey
Change is constant is my motto, so it's good to know there's someone else out there who embraces the concept. Beautiful scones. The flavors sound wonderful.
I am making these scones soon!! So glad to have been directed to you and your blog. I look forward to reading your thoughts, and the pictures of your adorable children make me smile! Pam
Hi Pam! Welcome!
Hi Kellypea! Nice to have you here.
You and my mom should have a scone bake-off! They're her specialty. Yours look divine!
I love scones! I found that if I shred cold butter, put it in the freezer then add it at the last second, they stay nice and light. Yum!
Okay, okay. . . I think I need a food processor. My little handy chopper mini-processor thingy is not going to do the trick here. These look great! Hope you had a great Thanksgiving Sarah!
Is there anything a food processor can't do? Love it. Not that there will be any leftover for very long, but how do you keep your scones fresh if you don't eat them all right away? No matter what I do, they always seem to lose their luster after 24 hrs.
That's the issue with scones, Beth. You put it perfectly--they lose their luster. That's why I never buy scones at bakeries--they're not warm. When I have them leftover (and I usually do), I put them in a ziploc then split and toast them the next morning. Without the toasting though, they'd be a disappointment.
Thinking of your post today and the conversation we've had a lot this past year, as I listen to an unedited interview on Speaking of Faith.
"Ms. Tippett: You know, you point something out that's very simple, but really striking and unsettling in good ways and bad, that even when the miracle, and, you know, you say we can call things miracles, but it's not — the picture's more complicated than that.
Ms. Braestrup: Mm-hmm.
Ms. Tippett: But even when it is of a life restored, that is always a temporary restoration."
From PRESENCE IN THE WILD
What a good reminder and encouragement for me this morning. Sometimes I feel like so many things are out of my control (which can be unnerving and reassuring all at the same time) but I appreciate what you said about how much control we do have over day to day things. It is good to remember day to day as I make choices for my own little family - what we eat, what we do, how we live.
I try to make scones every year for Christmas morning - I usually use a Molasses-glazed pecan scone recipe I got from a friend but perhaps I shall have to try these.
Yum! I just got back from California to DC, and I suspected it had happened- winter had sprung. A couple weeks ago I made these: http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/orange-and-oat-scones-recipe.html
and they were really scrumptious, even the second and third days. I might have undercooked them by 1-2 minutes. Next I will try your oat and fruit version, Sarah, looks just as simple, but with more fruit benefits. Right on!
Made these today with my 4 year old son and they turned out great. We used just currants and added lots of lemon zest. I can see these being a yummy and quick thing to make for visiting friends. Thanks Sarah!
[...] got to the dessert portion of the lunch! I attempted to make a “healthy” scone with a recipe from Nick Malgieri. In anticipation of this upcoming weekend, I chose a recipe from him! I am [...]
[...] Oat Fruit Scones Adapted from How to Bake by Nick Malgieri. I changed up the ingredients a bit more from my source. [...]