Whole Grain Lavender Peach-Stuffed Scones
Today is our last day in Portland and to say we’ve eaten some good food would not do this city justice. I had heard that Portland is vegan mecca, which is why when Aaron suggested we spend a few days here, I countered with a full week. Today is our last day before we head down the coast along famously stunning Highway 101, and even though it feels like we’ve been non-stop eating for the last seven days, we still have so many restaurants and food carts (!!!) we want to try. Similar to Seattle, Portland is definitely a place we’ll want to re-visit.
We lucked out with a very cool and surprisingly spacious rental on the SE side near Mt. Tabor. The space is like Anthropologie but more Indonesian than Indian and with a great sense of whimsy. Unlike a lot of the places we’ve stayed, this one is designed and there are interesting pieces and little charms throughout from our hosts’ travels. We even have two giant panda and tiger stuffed animals that Honey and Barley think are toys for them (obviously). We had to hide the tiger because his tail was too tempting.
Of course, the one city where we’ve been eating out the most also has some of the nicest grocery stores, farmer’s markets, and we even have a well-equipped kitchen! When I realized we had a full-sized oven, I knew we would have to take a break from the food cart scene so I could get in my baking fix. Lavender is everywhere in the PNW right now and I let those pretty little purple flowers inspire this simple scone recipe. And what better pairing than juicy, perfectly ripe peaches? The flavor is delicate and quintessentially summer, with a generous pour of pure vanilla extract to make them even more intoxicating. Lavender peach vanilla would make the BEST perfume, but for now let’s enjoy it in baked good form.
These vegan scones are adapted from my Irish soda bread scones. Instead of mixing the peaches into the dough, I decided to take inspiration from my friend Jessie and fold in a couple of layers sort of like a calzone to make scones that are heavy on seasonal fruit and thus don’t need much sweetening at all. They’re light on (unrefined coconut) oil and whole grain too, making them perfectly suitable as part of breakfast, sans sugar crash. If you prefer sweeter or fluffier scones, see my recipe notes for a couple of easy tweaks you can make. I’ve made many variations of the dough over the years and it’s fairly adaptable. You can likely sub in fresh berries or your favorite fruits for peaches and other herbs in place of lavender if that’s what’s most appealing and/or local to you. This is a recipe that’s ideal for beginner bakers, as well as for those of us who want a no-fuss and quick treat so we can get back to exploring the outdoors, eating our way through new cities, and just generally savoring summer.
Whole Grain Lavender Peach-Stuffed Scones
Whole Grain Lavender Peach-Stuffed Scones
Serves: 8 scones
Prep Time: 25 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 45 mins
Whole grain spelt scones that are studded with juicy summer peaches and scented with lavender and vanilla. These vegan scones are lower fat and lightly sweetened, with the option for no added sugar. They're a great (easy!) recipe if you've ever felt intimidated about baking your own scones at home.
Cuisine: Vegan Servings: 8 scones
Prep Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 20 mins Total Time: 45 mins
Whole grain spelt scones that are studded with juicy summer peaches and scented with lavender and vanilla. These vegan scones are lower fat and lightly sweetened, with the option for no added sugar. They're a great (easy!) recipe if you've ever felt intimidated about baking your own scones at home.
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the almond milk and lemon juice to make vegan buttermilk. Allow to sit for 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, mix together the flour, lavender buds, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt. Add the coconut oil, using your hands to pinch it into the flour (pea sized or smaller pieces is ideal). Stir in the vegan buttermilk, maple syrup, and vanilla extract until a slightly sticky, thick dough forms.
- Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured piece of parchment paper (cut it to fit your baking sheet) and form the dough into a flat rectangle, using your hands or a rolling pin, that's about 12 inches by 10 inches. Press half of the chopped peach in a line down the center 3rd of the rectangle. Fold over one side of the dough to cover the fruit. Repeat by pressing in the remaining chopped peaches, then fold over the remaining flap of dough. Gently press the dough on the top and sides so that the layers don't separate. Brush the top of the dough with a little melted coconut oil and sprinkle with coconut sugar. Chill in the fridge for 5-10 minutes until the coconut oil has firmed up. Cut the dough into 8 equal-sized triangles.
- Transfer the parchment paper with the dough to your prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden. Allow the scones to cool slightly (about 10 minutes) and enjoy warm!
Notes [4]
I’ve made these scones a handful of different ways and found them to be fairly adaptable. For less sweet scones, skip the maple syrup and use an unsweetened almond milk.
For scones that are more sweet, use the maple syrup and a sweetened almond milk, reducing the milk by the amount of maple syrup (if you use 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, reduce the 1/2 cup of almond milk by 2 tablespoons) to keep the liquid ratio the same.
For lighter, fluffier scones, use 100% light spelt flour instead of half light and half whole grain flours. I’ve made these with 100% whole grain spelt and while still tasty, they’re a bit dense.
Recipe adapted from my vegan Irish soda bread scones. Fruit-folding method adapted from the very sweet Jessie of Faring Well.
Copyright © 2023 Amanda Maguire for Pickles & Honey
