Old Midwestern farmhouses are notoriously chilly places come fall and winter. With its huge old fuel oil furnace in the basement, ours was no exception. The family bathroom was the one reliably warm spot in the house. Dread built to a fever pitch each morning as I prepared to exit my warm bed, until finally I’d hop out, grab a robe and race down the steep stairway to that warm room of sanctuary.
My mother could often be found standing atop the heating vent at the foot of the stairs, her nightgown and robe inflated into a bell by the force of the warm air rising up from the basement. Steam emanated from the tightly clutched mug in her hands, an invisible lifeline connecting her to the coffee pot. As a kid, I never understood why she just didn’t want to chat until at least one cup of her caffeine elixir was consumed, but I understand now!
Eventually, she would recover enough stamina to tackle making breakfast, which was always a solid morning repast. While it was often some combination of bread and eggs, she would also bake quick breads like bran muffins and whole-wheat biscuits. In our home, this tradition has morphed into scones, hands down my husband’s most popular quick bread. While he will eat just about any of my baked goods with gusto, when asked what he would like, the answer is always scones. In his mind, they are just slightly reminiscent of his southern mama’s biscuits. I have a number of scone recipes, but the Almond Cherry Scones I’m sharing today is one of my favorites.
These scones are a bit softer than the typical biscuit, due to the addition of an egg and a small amount of almond paste. They are moist and full of almond flavor, without being too sweet or rich. The recipe as written uses 100% whole wheat flour, but all-purpose flour can be substituted for whole-wheat pastry flour if you can’t quite handle that much “health.” Given that I am one of the ill-fated folks with IBS, I use a combination of sprouted wheat, spelt and Sonoran white wheat flours to maximize digestibility and nutrition. But basically you can use whatever wheat based flours you like; I have not tried this recipe with gluten free flours.
This year in the Sonoran desert, summer lingered into what is usually a lovely lengthy fall; summer temps have finally been pushed off center stage, and winter is nipping around the edges. Chilly mornings are welcome and I’m happy to heat the oven for baking. As cool mornings arrive, give these scones a try. I am a real pushover for the steamy aroma and flavor of almonds and cherries, and you may find that you are, too!
Almond Cherry Scones
Ingredients
- 1- cup white whole-wheat flour
- 1- cup whole-wheat pastry flour
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons butter cut into small cubes
- 1 ounce almond paste
- 1/3 cup tart dried cherries lightly chopped
- 2 tablespoons slivered toasted almonds
- ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon buttermilk
- 1- teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 egg
- milk or cream for brushing the tops
- coarse sugar for the tops
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400° F. Prepare a baking sheet either by lining with parchment paper or lightly spraying with pan spray.
- Combine the dry ingredients thoroughly in a bowl or food processor. Cut in the butter and almond paste until the size of rice grains. Stir in the cherries and almonds.
- Combine the wet ingredients well and pour into the dry mix. Extra buttermilk can be added a tablespoon at a time if the mix appears dry, but only until the mixture can be gathered together.
- Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly several times and form into a firm ball. Press or roll into a circle about an inch in thickness.
- Cut into 8-10 wedges, depending on the preferred size of scone. Place the wedges onto the baking sheet, at least ½-inch apart. Brush each scone lightly with milk or cream, then sprinkle with coarse sugar.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes, til beginning to brown on top and edges. Remove to a cooling rack. Serve warm with butter. Leftovers freeze well.
Ah, those cold mornings! Reminds me of growing up in Idaho, and then later a wonderful but drafty old farmhouse on the chilly north coast of CA. And I’m definitely going to try the scones, which sound delicious.