Maple Oatmeal Scones

I have decided that I absolutely love baking, especially when it all turns out delicious in the end. I also love having four great guinea pigs to try things out on.  I made these scones for my husband.  He loves maple!  Maple candy, syrup, chocolates….the list goes on.  Maple really isn’t my thing but I thought he deserved a recipe. 

I found this recipe in “The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook” I have been a huge fan of Ina Garten for years.  I started liking her style of cooking when she was writing a column for the “Martha Stewart Living” magazine.  Her recipes are simple and easy.  At least that is what I found out when I tried this one.  This one was the first one I have ever tried and I have three of her cookbooks!  The pictures are great and the recipes showcase simple elegant flavors.  The middle child and I worked together on this recipe.  She made it almost until the end.  She didn’t make it to the glaze, something else attracted her attention. 

Just a few notes about this recipe…..The dough is very soft so you need to use plenty of flour on your counter top, but you don’t want to use to much because the dough will definitely dry out.  In addition to that, I don’t have a stand mixer, (ALWAYS WANTED ONE), the directions were to use one, so, I adapted the recipe to use the best tool I could find….my hands!  I used them to cut in the butter.  My trick is; squeeze the cold butter between your fingers until you feel the cold from under the flour and then drop it.  Pick up another clump and do it again until all the butter is incorporated and the dough resembles small peas.  (If it resembles it so much that it changed to green, you may have done something wrong). 

  Also, I liked the way these turned out, but they are much better eaten warm than cold.  I glazed them right out of the oven, and started taking pictures of them.  I presented my husband with one and it was already room temperature.  He looked up at me and said “How come I always get the floor model?”  Hehehe.

Maple-Oatmeal Scones

Active Time 30 minutes, Total Time 50 minutes

For the scones

3 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup quick-cooking oats, plus additional for sprinkling

2 Tbs baking powder

2 Tbs granulated sugar

2 tsp salt

1 pound cold butter, diced

½ cup cold buttermilk

½ cup pure maple syrup

4 extra large eggs, slightly beaten

1 egg, beaten with 1 tbs milk for egg wash.

For the glaze

1 ¼ cups confectioners’ sugar

½ cup pure maple syrup

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, with a paddle attachment (for those of you lucky enough to have one), combine flours, oats, baking powder, sugar, and salt.  Blend in the cold butter in at the lowest speed and mix until the butter is in pea-size pieces.  Combine the buttermilk, maple syrup and eggs and add quickly to the flour and butter mixture.  Mix until just blended.  The dough may be sticky.

Dump the dough out onto a well-floured surface and be sure it is combined.  Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough ¾ to 1 inch thick.  You should see lumps of butter in the dough.  Cut into 3-inch rounds with a plain for fluted cutter (I used a wide mouth glass) and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Brush the tops with egg wash.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are crips and the insides are done.

To make the glaze, combine the confectioner’s sugar, maple syrup and vanilla.  When the scones are done, cool for 5 minutes and drizzle each scone with 1 tablespoon of the glaze.  Sprinkle some of the reserved oats for the top.