Scone recipe makes holiday season extra special
Just as so many people consider the Labor Day weekend to be the official start of grilling season, I think of the first week of November as the start of baking season. Halloween is over, and the time has come to turn our thoughts to preparing all the cookies, pies, cakes and other baked goods that we’ll serve and share for Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas and New Year’s.
I find sometimes that casual breakfasts and brunches get overlooked during all that celebrating, not to mention the midmorning coffee get-togethers and afternoon tea gatherings that always seem to happen at the last minute. So, I thought I would share a special recipe for moments like that. My Spelt Coconut Scones, though rich-tasting and delicious like we want all our baked treats to be, are also surprisingly good for you; the recipe comes from my most recent book, Wolfgang Puck
Makes It Healthy (Grand Central Life & Style, $30).
You may have heard of spelt because it’s becoming more and more popular in all sorts of dishes today. This ancient cousin of wheat has not only a delicious nutty flavor but also a generous fiber content that makes it a good choice for people trying to add more good grains to their diets. You can find both the white and whole-grain spelt flours my recipe calls for in the baking sections of well-stocked markets and health food stores.
The coconut in the recipe comes as rich, sweet-tasting and very satisfying coconut oil. Yes, it is a fat. But some studies have found this particular form may help lower cholesterol and reduce belly fat. Well-stocked markets will carry it. The oil tends to solidify at cool room temperature, but for the purpose of this recipe, transfer the amount you need to a bowl, and chill it in the refrigerator before you cut it into cubes.
When combined with just a little sugar (the coconut oil itself tastes very sweet) and some nonfat yogurt and milk, the resulting dough comes out incredibly tender and flavorful. I like to serve the scones on their own or accompanied by marmalade or fruit jam, or with fresh berries and yogurt. I also love to split a scone and fill it with dollops of jam and nonfat yogurt.
The guests who are fortunate enough to be served these scones will feel they’ve had a very special holiday treat. Then, they’ll be amazed when you reveal that the scones are not only good but also good for them, at just 188 calories or so, with 72 of those coming mostly from what doctors consider “good” fat. Now that really is a holiday miracle!
SPELT COCONUT SCONES
Makes about 15 Ingredients: 3 cups white spelt flour 3/4 cup whole-grain spelt flour 1/4 cup granulated sugar, plus more
for sprinkling, if desired 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 cup coconut oil, at cool room temperature (cool enough to be solid), cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1 large cage-free egg 1 cup nonfat plain yogurt 1/2 cup nonfat milk 6 tablespoons heavy cream, optional
Directions:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the spelt flours, sugar, baking powder and salt. Mix briefly on low speed. Add the coconut oil and continue mixing on low speed, watching carefully, just until the coconut oil forms pea-sized pieces.
In a separate bowl, lightly whisk the egg. Add the yogurt and milk, and whisk just until blended.
Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture. Mix briefly on low speed, just until a soft dough forms.
Turn out the dough onto a floured work surface. With floured hands, pat it down into a rough rectangle, and fold lengthwise in half. Pat down and fold again two or three times more. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the oven to
350 degrees.
With a rolling pin on a floured work surface, roll out the chilled dough to a 1 1/4-inch thickness. With a 2-inch round cutter, cut out rounds of dough, placing them on a nonstick baking sheet. Gather up any scraps, knead them together briefly, and roll them out and cut into rounds.
If desired, lightly brush the tops of the scones with cream, and sprinkle with a little sugar. Bake until lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes.