A delicious VEGAN scone packed with almonds, dried cherries and flavor!
At the Virginia Renaissance Faire, I have a small bakery stand. I began with baked goods made with wheat, dairy and eggs. Then, after numerous requests, I developed gluten free baked goods that were, to most people, indistinguishable from their wheat based counterparts. As soon as I did that, I was asked for Vegan baked goods. And with that, I even fool myself as to which are vegan and which have eggs and dairy.
See also: Cherry Almond Scones, Gluten Free Cherry Almond Scones and Diabetic Friendly Cherry Almond Scones
The Inside Scoop
This recipe makes 825 g./ 29 oz. of batter; which equals 7 114g./ 4-oz. scones and a 1 oz. “tester”
When both volumetric and weight measures are provided, the volumetric measures should be considered approximations. The standard measure for a cup of sugar is 192 grams. By volume, this measure will be less than 1 cup.
When adding chopped almonds, spread them on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper (for easy clean-up) and bake in a 350 degree for only 5 minutes until aroma rises and nuts are light brown. (Almonds burn easily; be sure to set the timer for 5 minutes.) Let cool before adding to batter. Pre-baking nuts helps to keep the nuts crisp and enhances the flavor.
When using dried fruit, soak the fruit in water or other liquid for 15 minutes – 1 hour to soften. Dried fruit will rob the scone of moisture, making it dry; dried fruit that has been soaked in water will be the perfect degree of dryness after baking.
I make my own applesauce; this allows me to control the thickness. If using purchased applesauce, place twice the required amount into a small saucepan and cook on a low heat until approximately the same thickness as egg white and applesauce coats a spoon. Cool applesauce to room temperature.
When using coconut milk, look for full fat coconut milk cans with only 3 ingredients: Coconut, Water and Guar Gum. Empty the entire can into a mixing bowl. Then use a whisk to thoroughly mix the coconut cream and water. Measure out what is needed, and store the rest in a clean container. Be sure to label and date the coconut cream. (Avoid “What is this thing in the back of the frig and why is it fuzzy?”)
When putting scone dough on a baking sheet, line the sheet with parchment paper. If using a scone pan, line the bottom of the scone sections with triangles of parchment paper and then spray the pan with a non-stick cooking spray.
Use all-vegetable shortening for the fat. Wrap the required amount in plastic wrap and freeze for 1+ hours until frozen. Then use a pastry knife to cut the shortening into the flour mix. Never mix with your hand- your hand is too warm and will cause the shortening to melt. The goal is to rub the shortening into the flour mix so that the shortening is the size of small peas. This ensures a uniform rise as the shortening melts and turns to steam during baking. Do NOT use coconut oil. Part of a scone’s rise is due to the steam that is generated during baking. Coconut oil becomes a liquid in a warm kitchen; during baking, it does not remain a solid long enough to provide steam for lift.
Whisk together the coconut milk, applesauce and almond extract. Then make a well in the flour mix and add the whisked wet ingredients. This ensures that flour in the bottom of the bowl becomes wet. Use a rubber spatula to combine the dry and wet ingredients.
Once wet and dry ingredients are combined, drain the cherries and add the cherries and half of the toasted almonds to the dough; mix to combine. If the dough is crumbly, use you fingertips to “mush” the ingredients together. Handle dough as little as possible to avoid building a gluten structure and melting the shortening.
Measure dough into prepared scone pan, measuring 114 g./ 4 oz. of batter into 7 wells or pat the dough into a flattened ball and place on the baking sheet. Dough should be 1″ thick. Cut the dough into 8 equal parts and separate slightly; separation enables heat to reach more surfaces of the scone, enabling a better rise. If there is a small amount of dough left, be sure to bake this, too- I call this my “Baker’s proof,” i.e., my little treat!
The colder the shortening, the better the rise as the shortening melts during baking and creates steam. Place your prepared scones in the refrigerator while you heat the oven to 375 degrees.
Once scones have finished baking, let cool for 15 minutes, then run a knife around the edges of the scones if using a scone pan. Remove scones from the scone pan or baking sheet and place onto cooling rack. This prevents scones from sticking to the pan and prevents condensation within the pan.
Scones are wonderful while warm with a pat of butter or cherry jam. However, if icing is desired, let scones cool completely. Then place a sheet of waxed paper under the cooling tray to catch any icing that drips off the scones and spoon prepared icing on top of scones.
A delicious VEGAN scone packed with almonds, dried cherries and flavor! Measure shortening onto plastic wrap; wrap tightly and place in freezer for 1 hour, until frozen. Combine dried cherries and water in a small bowl. Let sit (at least 15 min.) until cherries have softened. Chop almonds. Toast almonds in a 350 degree oven for 5 min. until lightly browned. Let stand at room temperature until cool. Line a heavy baking sheet** with parchment paper or line the wells of a scone pan with triangles of parchment paper. Spray scone pan with non-stick cooking spray. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon (opt.) and mace (opt.) in a bowl. Stir thoroughly to combine. Use a pastry knife to cut the frozen shortening into the flour mixture until shortening pieces are the size of peas. Combine applesauce, coconut milk and almond extract,; whisk to combine. Make a well in the flour mixture and add liquid mixture. Stir just to combine. Drain cherries. Add cherries and 30 g./ ¼ c. of almonds; combine gently with a spoon. Do not overwork. Dough should just hold together. Measure dough into scone pan, placing 114 g./ 4 oz. of dough into 7 wells. Or turn dough into a ball, place on baking sheet and flatten until dough makes a 1” tall disk. Cut dough into eighths and separate scones slightly. Put scones in refrigerator while you heat the oven. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place scones in center of oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until metal tester inserted into scones comes out clean. Cool 10-15 minutes, remove from pan and place on cooling rack. If topping with icing, place waxed paper under cooling rack to catch dripping icing. *Mix icing: Use 2 T. of coconut milk for a thick icing; use 3 T. of coconut milk for a thin glaze. Spoon 1 T. of icing onto each scone. **If you do not have a heavy baking sheet, double up 2 thin baking sheets. Enjoy!Vegan Cherry Almond Scone
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