Maple Oat Scones with Currants and Buttermilk Glaze

You might recall in a past post that I used to be in the wholesale food business. My company, Beverly Hills Farmers Market, Inc. (named after the farmers market I helped found in 1994), sold baked goods and snacks to local supermarkets, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and the airlines. One of the biggest kicks I ever got was the day British Airways ordered my scones to serve on their international flights. It was a peak moment, an affirmation that maybe I really did know how to bake.

It all started with this recipe, which has evolved over the years to include more whole grains and less sugar. This version is my current favorite, one that is perfect for an Easter brunch or a grab-and-go breakfast treat. Bake a double batch and freeze them—they reheat beautifully in the toaster oven. The buttermilk glaze is, of course, optional but worth the indulgence. If mile-high food were this good, the airlines would all be back in business.

Makes 12 scones

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup white or turbinado sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup vegetable shortening, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup butter, softened, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup rolled oats (not quick-cooking), plus a few extra for sprinkling
1/2 cup currants or raisins
3/4 cup buttermilk, chilled, plus extra for brushing
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.

2. Measure all the dry ingredients into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the plastic blade and mix well. Add the shortening and butter and pulse a few times, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

3. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the oats and currants.

4. In a measuring cup, stir together the buttermilk, vanilla and maple syrup together; reserve 2 tablespoons for the glaze. Make a well in the center of the dry mixture and pour in the remaining buttermilk mixture. Using a spatula, gently mix from the bottom up until the liquid is just incorporated, being careful not to over-mix. The dough will be sticky.

5. With a greased ice cream scoop or well-floured hands, scoop about 1/4 cup of dough onto parchment- (or Silpat-) covered baking sheets, flattening them on top. Make sure the scones are at least 2 inches apart from each other, and double the baking sheets to prevent the bottoms of the scones from burning. Brush a little buttermilk on the tops of the scones (if you will not be glazing them later, sprinkle them with a few oats).

6. Bake for 20 – 22 minutes, or until lightly browned. While the scones are baking, prepare the glaze: In a small bowl, stir together the confectioner’s sugar with the reserved buttermilk mixture from Step 4.

7. Cool the scones on baking racks. Once cooled, drizzle the glaze over the tops, allowing it to drip down the sides, and sprinkle a few oats on top. Serve plain, or with ricotta cheese and your favorite compote.

Note: The scones can be baked and stored, unglazed, in the freezer for up to three months. Reheat in a toaster oven.

Making Easter brunch? Try Healthy Crustless Quiche and a Radicchio Caesar, followed by these scones for dessert.

Photo credit: mybakingaddiction.com