Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Buttermilk Scones with Maple Syrup

Thank you for all the wonderful support while the kids and I have been terribly sick these past two weeks. Yesterday morning I got up and felt partially human. To celebrate my return to the living I decided to make some scones. It was an excellent decision because my get up and go, got up and went by 9 am when the sinus pressure in my ear reduced me to tears. Thankfully though as I coughed and dealt with the pain, I wasn't also hungry! Plus the kids were full and content. Some days, that is the best you can do.

This recipe originally comes from The Animal Farm Buttermilk Cookbook. It is a fantastic cookbook that my sister gave me one year for Christmas, back when I was getting 1 quart a week of buttermilk through the local CSA. Mine are a little sweeter than the author originally intended. I can say this with confidence because I have made the original recipe, with organic sugar, and while hers might be a little fluffier, I prefer a little sweeter since we don't typically eat our scones with jam (or clotted cream). Although if anyone has an amazing recipe for clotted cream, please feel free to share it. I have been spoiled by the local scone shop, where we go for special occasions. Their clotted cream is beyond divine.

Buttermilk Scones with Maple Syrup
This recipe makes 18 scones using a large batter scoop.

2 1/2 cups (10.8 ounces) organic flour
1.5 tsp baking powder
3/8 tsp baking soda
5/8 tsp salt
1/2 c. (4 oz) organic unsalted cold butter
1/2 c. maple syrup
3/4 c. buttermilk
additions - I like to use walnuts and/or chocolate chips but you can use dried fruit, citrus zest, fresh raspberries, etc.

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Mix dry ingredients and butter in mixer. It should be a crumbly mixture.
3. Mix maple syrup and buttermilk
4. Pour into dry mixture and stir just until combined. Do not overmix!
5. Fold in additions with a spoon (not your mixer or you will overmix and your scones will be dense. Take it from the voice of experience).
6. Using large cookie dough scoop, put scones on baking stone. (Or a baking sheet, scone pan, etc.)
7. Bake for 18 minutes until browned but not dark.
8. With many baked goods I let them rest on the pan for a minute but with scones I always removed them immediately from the stone so they do not overcook and place them on a wire rack to cool.

That's it. The original recipe calls for brushing the top with melted butter and sprinkling with turbinado sugar. The butter does add to the flavor, as does the sugar but usually I am hurrying to get these in the oven and don't both with the step. If you have company coming and want to impress them, add the butter, it makes it look even prettier.

I used to be intimidated by scones but this is now one of my easy go to recipes. They really don't take any more time or energy than muffins but I like them better. Since we tend to make our butter every other day or so, we tend to have enough buttermilk for these always on hand.

One note about the odd amounts such as 3/8 tsp, I cut the author's recipe in half, always because otherwise it makes too much and the scones are better fresh. When I follow her full recipe, I have to use more pans and do multiple batches. For our family, 18 scones seems to be the perfect amount. If you need a larger amount or have bigger baking stones, double the recipe and you will have amounts such as 3/4 tsp and 1 1/4 tsp. I have two 1/8 measuring teaspoons and they are incredibly handy.

Enjoy!

1 comment:

  1. Lovely recipe! My husband loves making scones and biscuits with buttermilk, and we are both suckers for flavoring with maple syrup or honey! I'll have to give this recipe a try sometime!

    Anyhoo, I found your blog through a "Sustainable Blogger Link Up" site.. just browsing through some of the blog, and trying to connect with some like minded bloggers! ^_^ If you get a chance, it would totally make my day if you stopped by my blog and said hi! Or better yet, keep in touch! - www.domesticgeekgirl.com

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