Sometimes I’ll have a recipe saved for a long time, and suddenly, inexplicably, I have to make it now. No matter that I was perfectly content having it on the “to try” list for months, it suddenly becomes an urgent matter and I just can’t wait any longer. That’s what happened with these scones. I suppose the timing worked out perfectly because with the beautiful red raspberries, they were a fitting Valentine’s Day breakfast. (By the way, I love these cute dishes my brothers bought me for my birthday!) I wondered if the oatmeal would make the texture of the scone dense or chewy, but these were still as light, airy and buttery as I had hoped. I do think the oatmeal provided an extra dimension of flavor, plus it is a little bit healthier than using all white flour.
Even if you don’t have an immediate need for the full batch (8-12, depending on the size), go ahead and make the dough anyway. You can freeze the shaped scones before baking, wrap them in foil or plastic wrap and store in a freezer lock plastic bag. When you are ready to use them, remove the foil or plastic wrap and bake them straight from the freezer. Just add a few minutes to the original baking time, until they are warmed through. They taste just like you made them that day! I love having scones in the freezer – but of course, I love it so much that such a surplus never seem to last long…
Oatmeal Raspberry Scones
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Ingredients:
1 large egg
½ cup cold buttermilk
1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups old-fashioned oats
1/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
Pinch of nutmeg
10 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, grated on a large grater or cut into small pieces
¾ cup fresh or frozen raspberries
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400˚ F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Combine the egg and buttermilk in a liquid measuring cup. Stir together; set aside.
Whisk together the flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter to the bowl and toss. Cut the butter into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or fork until the mixture so that the mixture is crumbly. Pour the egg and buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients and mix with a fork just until incorporated (the mixture will be sticky). Fold in the berries just until incorporated (be particularly gentle if using fresh berries). Gently knead the dough 6-10 times, just until it comes together into a sticky dough. Portion the dough out into 8-12 scones, depending on the size you prefer, and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. (A large dough scoop is a good tool, but not necessary.)
Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Source: adapted from Joy the Baker, originally from Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan
