One morning last January the soft winter sunshine gave me an immense craving for scones. The creamy, faintly sweet, kind the Savoy hotel made famous and I hadn't enjoyed in years and years. Finding a good substitute for organic heavy cream was a lost cause until the So Delicious coconut milk creamers arrived on the market. Figuring that if the batch didn't turn out I wouldn't be wasting a terrible amount of ingredients, I started tossing stuff into a bowl and preheating the oven. My stomach was not going to be happy until it had a scone.
Thirty minutes later steaming hot scones were disappearing fast with Trader Joe's Irish tea and a dollop of that lovely sunshine. My stomach and my soul were well fed and happy.
Fast forward to a rainy day last week, still shaky and aching, I was reading the wonderful book "The Bucolic Plague" with a pot of white tea; it just wasn't complete without a scone, or three. Once again my stomach insisted, and won. After a two month hiatus from being able to cook or bake, scones made the transition back to baking simple.
For this batch I wanted wee golden raisins in my scones. Plain makes them quicker and highlights the the soft, creamy interior texture of the scone. So make them either way, but do treat yourself to scones and tea, often.
Cream Scones
1 3/8 oz or ¼ c golden raisins (Hunza are nice small, almost currant-like)
1 oz brandy (I have Azteca D’Oro Reserva on hand)
½ oz water
5 oz or 1 heavy cup GF all purpose (AP) flour (I use Pamela’s)
¾ oz or 1/8 cup beet sugar (white sugar keep the inner scone creamy white)
2 3/8 tsp baking powder (Hain is corn free)
1/16 tsp kosher sea salt
2 ½ tbsp palm shortening
2 oz or ¼ c coconut milk creamer (I use So Delicious)
1 oz or 1/8 c vegan sour cream (I use Follow Your Heart)
1 egg
1 tbsp coconut milk creamer
Place raisins, brandy and water in small bowl, let soak for 30 minutes. If the craving isn’t that patient put the bowl in the microwave and warm them for 30 seconds. The goal is to soften the raisins and enhance their flavor.
In a medium bowl whisk together the dry ingredients. Whisk them a bit more to ensure an even mix.
Mix coconut milk creamer and sour cream. Set aside.
Add palm shortening to dry ingredients, pinch together until crumbly with pea-size or small pieces. The warmth of mixing with your hands enhances the texture.
Drain raisins, reserve the liquid for your tea. Add raisins to bowl.
Add the creamer & sour cream mixture. Gently, very briefly, mix.
Divide into 4-6 lumps on parchment lined pan.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Whisk egg and creamer, brush scones. Then let rest for 10 minutes.
If you like your scones a bit doughy inside, bake for 10 minutes. Otherwise bake for 13 minutes for lightly golden brown scones.
