You should really make these tomorrow morning. Wake up a little early, and sneak out of bed gently, quietly, without disturbing your loved one asleep next to you. You can grab the paper from your stoop and brew some coffee. (The paper’s particularly heavy this weekend—there’s a five-pound T style magazine.) Then in fifteen minutes throw together these buttery, not-too-sweet scones from Rose Bakery, and twenty minutes later pull them hot out of the oven. You will be loved.
I can’t count how many times I’ve made these scones from Rose Carrarini—owner of the popular bakery in Montmartre, Paris—since the cookbook Breakfast Lunch Tea came out in 2006, the first year I started working at Phaidon. I’ve tweaked the recipe over the years and most recently made these with chopped walnuts, pecans, and apricots. There would’ve been currants in this last batch too, had I not forgotten to add them at the last minute.
One thing I love about these scones—well, two actually—is not only are they so fast to prepare but they use one of my favorite ingredients, maple syrup, as the sweetener. I was in Vermont recently and refilled my stash, using it in my Brooklyn kitchen to sweeten everything from oatmeal to hot chocolate to scones.
You can play around with this recipe, leaving out the nuts, substituting walnuts with pecans, adding apricots or currants. I think pine nuts and apricots might be a nice combination too.
Maple Walnut Scones
Makes 10 scones
2 1/4 c flour (you can use a combination of all-purpose, whole wheat etc.)
1/2 c rolled oats
1 heaping tbsp baking powder
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 c (1 1/2 sticks) cold, unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
4 tbsp maple syrup
4 tbsp milk
1/2 c nuts and dried fruit of your choice, optional (walnuts, pecans, currants, apricots, etc.)
1 egg, beaten
Preheat the oven to 400 F and grease a baking sheet with butter.
Sift the flour into a large bowl and stir in the oats, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
Add the butter to the bowl and using your fingers work it into the dry ingredients, until the dough resembles breadcrumbs.
In a separate, small bowl combine the milk and maple syrup. Make a well in the middle of the dough and pour in the milk-syrup mixture. Use a fork to mix it into the dry ingredients, then your hands to combine. Fold in the nuts and/or dried fruits if using. Do not over mix. If it is too dry add a little more milk, and if it is too wet add a little more flour.
Pat the dough out onto a lightly floured surface until it is about 1 1/4 inches thick. And using a round glass or 2-inch cutter, cut the dough into rounds and transfer to the greased baking sheet.
Glaze the tops with the beaten egg and bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Serve warm with your favorite jam.
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These beautiful roses are courtesy of my housemate’s father, Toby. Happy Valentine’s Day.
Mostly Food 