Taking a break from Laptop-Trauma Central to bring you this: another scone recipe.  This is one of Tai’s favorites, sweet, but not overly so, simply flavored with maple syrup and dried New York apples, with a nice crunch and hint of bitterness from the walnuts.  Perfect to warm the kitchen, and the soul, on this cold & dreary, technology-is-conspiring-to-kill-me, day.

Adapted from Cranberry-Orange Scones

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Maple Walnut Scones

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup (4.5 oz) whole white wheat flour (Wild Hive “all-purpose”)
• 1 cup (4.5 oz) whole wheat (bread) flour
• 1 cup + 2 tbsp (4.5 oz) whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 and 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 cup turbinado sugar (or maple sugar, if you have it), plus extra for sprinkling
• 6 oz (3/4 cup) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup chopped raw walnuts
• 1/2 cup chopped dried apples
• 3/4 cup chilled cream, milk or buttermilk (I used whole, raw milk from Stonewall Dairy), plus extra for glazing
• 1/4 cup maple syrup

METHODS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (375 F convection).
2. In a large bowl, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt; whisk for approximately 1 minute until well blended.
3. Add butter and rub between your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse meal.  Mix in dried appples and walnuts. Add the maple syrup, then gradually add the milk, tossing with a fork until moist clumps form.  Stop adding liquid when it seems the dough will stay together; if the dough is too sticky, the scones will lose their shape upon cooking. If the dough seems crumbly and will not hold a shape, add more liquid 1 tbsp at a time.
4. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface (I find it easiest to split the dough into two portions at this point).
5. Knead briefly to bind the dough; about 4 turns should be enough.  Form the dough portion into a 1- to 2-inch thick round.  Cut the round into 8 pie pieces with a sharp knife or pastry cutter. Transfer wedges to a parchment or silicone mat-lined baking sheet, spacing approximately 2 inches apart. Repeat the process with the other half of the dough. Using a pastry brush, glaze the tops of each wedge with milk, then sprinkle on a little sugar for crunch (maple sugar would be wonderful here). 
6. Bake for 10 minutes (8 minutes convection), then turn pans in oven 180 degrees.  Continue to bake for an additional 10-15 minutes (7-12 minutes convection), until the tops of the scones are golden brown.
7. Transfer to wire rack to cool.  Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Yields 16 small scones or 8 large ones.

OPTIONS

1. Pecans would make a nice substitute for walnuts; also raisins, dried cherries or dried pears would be a good substitute for apples.
2. This recipe could be 100% local with local maple sugar and foraged black walnuts.  Black walnuts (apparently) have a much stronger flavor than their conventional, English, cousins, so if using these, consider cutting down to 1/4 cup.

STORE

At room temperature, covered by a clean kitchen towel, for up to 3 days.  Baked or unbaked scones freeze well for up to 3 months.

SEASON

Year-round, but apple, maple and walnut seem like Fall.