Whole Wheat Scones with Raisins and Walnuts

When I used to think of scones I would think of dry, crumbly, sweet breakfast treats.  They weren't my favorite thing... I guess I tend to prefer baked goods that are more chewy?  In any case, a couple of weeks ago I came across this recipe on the King Arthur Flour site and decided to give these scones a shot.  I was a huge fan!  A number of other people tried them and liked them as well.  

I should mention that these aren't quite like traditional scones.  They are only lightly sweetened, and have a strong wheat flavor (that I really liked!).  They are loaded with walnuts and raisins, which provide extra sweetness and texture.  You'll notice that there is a bit of orange juice in these.  This does not affect the flavor, and actually helps to counteract any bitterness from the whole wheat flour.

I've made these two times within a week and a half, so I suppose that says a lot!  Each time I prepared the scones the night before and baked them in the morning.  Easy and delicious!

Whole Wheat Scones with Raisins and Walnuts

yield:  12 medium scones

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups raisins
• 2/3 cups diced walnuts
• 1/3 cup butter (cold, cut into small chunks)
• 2 tablespoons cold orange juice
• 1/3 cup cold milk (I used 2%)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs

DIRECTIONS:

1)  Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor.  Add butter and pulse about 10 times, until you have a crumbly mixture.  Dump into a medium sized bowl.    Add raisins and walnuts and stir to combine.  If any large chunks of butter remain, flatten them with your fingers.

2)  In a small bowl, whisk together orange juice, milk, vanilla extract, and eggs.  Pour onto dry ingredients and mix just until all flour has been moistened and the dough holds together.

3)  Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone baking mat.  Transfer dough to the baking mat and divide in half.  Form each half into a rough circle that is about 3/4 inch tall.  Use a knife or a bench scraper to slice each circle into 6 wedges (be careful not to cut your baking mat!).  Cover the pan with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator until ready to bake.  (If you want to bake these immediately, put the pan uncovered into the freezer while you preheat the oven as directed in step 4).

4)  When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375F.   Once the oven has preheated, transfer the pan of scones to the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes, until starting to brown on top.  Remove from the oven and let sit for a few minutes.  Then, serve warm.   These are delicious plain, but you could also serve them with butter/jam/etc.

(recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour)