Blueberry Oatmeal Maple Scones

By Foodiewife

I created this scone recipe to feature BetterOats brand instant oatmeal. Using a combination of white and whole wheat flour, substituting pure maple syrup for white sugar, and a reduced amount of butter I was pleased that the scones were tender with just the right amount of sweet. Fresh blueberries are showcased in this tender pastry, with just a hint of cinnamon. These were drizzled with a simple maple glaze, for just a touch of sweet. These can be easily frozen, individually, before baking for an easy breakfast treat on-the go-- without the guilt!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour* (recommended, King Arthur Flour)
• 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour (recommended, King Arthur Flour)
• Pinch coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup plain instant oatmeal (recommended BetterOats Organic Raw Pure & Simple)
• 4 tablespoons (1/2-stick) butter, cold
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup (not pancake syrup)
• 6 ounces fresh blueberries (frozen are okay)
• 1/2 cup lowfat buttermilk
• As a substitute for 1 cup of self-rising flour, place 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a measuring cup. Add all-purpose flour to measure 1 cup.

Details

Preparation time 20mins
Cooking time 161mins
Adapted from foodiewife-kitchen.blogspot.com

Preparation

Step 1

For the dry ingredients:
Combine the flours, cinnamon and oatmeal). Set aside.

For the wet ingredients:
In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk, maple syrup and vanilla. Set aside.

Cut butter into the dry ingredients, with a pastry cutter. TIP: I like to grate cold, or frozen, butter so that I can easily combine it with my fingertips. Do not overwork the flour/butter mixture, as you want pieces of butter for tender scones.

Add the wet ingredients to the flour/butter mixture and gently fold together. Don't worry if the dough is more shaggy then silky smooth.

Carefully and very gently, fold in the blueberries being careful not to smash them, lest the dough turns blue.

Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface and press into a round circle, about 1-inch thick. Using a sharp knife, or a bench scraper tool, cut the circle into fourths, and then each fourth int halves to equal eight wedges.

Set the wedges on a parchment lined baking sheet (or a Silpat or a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick spray). Keep a few inches of space between each wedge. Freeze for at least 30 minutes, up to a few hours, uncovered.

I freeze mine for a few hours, then wrap each wedge in plastic wrap. That way I can bake one or more scones as needed-- very convenient, and less temptation to eat them all at once.

To bake:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bake the frozen scones for about 21 minutes, or until golden brown.
Option #1 - Before baking the scones, you can brush a little bit of milk on the scone(s) and sprinkle with a little coarse sugar. This gives a nice crunchy texture.

Option #2 - Make a glaze of about 1/4 cup powdered sugar and 2 teaspoons of pure maple syrup. Whisk until smooth. Add a splash of milk (about one teaspoon) and whisk. You want the glaze to be slightly thick, but thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle over the baked scones and enjoy.