Vanilla and Apricot Whole Grain Scones

After finishing my essay two nights ago, all I wanted to do was relax and bake, before starting revision for my test on Thursday.

 If you had to choose a food item to represent a relationship you have with someone, could you? My relationship with my flatmate can be scones. We used to frequent a cafe together than had scones of the day everyday - they had such exciting flavors, like coconut and orange, banana and brown sugar, Mars Bars etc etc. I loved their scones, and she just loves scones in general. Unfortunately I'm not the biggest fan of the cafe otherwise. It's apparently where Kate met Will if you guys follow the royal family. Well, if I end up meeting a man here I hope he takes me to another cafe.

So as I needed to bake, and my flatmate was on the verge of a nervous breakdown - I made scones. 

Vanilla and apricot scones with a mixture of whole wheat flour, plain flour and oats.  

 

makes 6-8 scones
Recipe adapted from Foodess
Ingredients
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
⅓ cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 cup large flake oats (not quick or instant)
½ cup cold butter, cut in cubes
1 large egg, lightly beaten
½ cup + 2 tbsp cold milk
1 tsp vanilla exact
1 cup chopped dried apricots


Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir in oats. 

Here, everything has to be cold.  Make sure your butter is cold.  Make sure your hands are cold - run them under cold water as Nigel Slater suggests.  Now: working quickly with your fingers, press the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs (or alternatively, you can cut the butter in using a pastry blender). 

In a glass measuring cup, combine milk, vanilla and egg; beat with a fork to blend. Pour milk mixture over dry ingredients and stir with light strokes until dough starts to come together (there will still be floury patches). Stir in apricots. Dough will still be shaggy. DO NOT OVERWORK THE DOUGH - #1 rule in scone-making

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and pat into a circle of about 1½” thick.  Then take a pastry cutter/cup and tap it sharply so that it goes straight through the dough – do not twist.

When you have cut as many as you can, knead the remaining dough together again and repeat. Then place the scones on the baking sheet.

*You could freeze these and these should last in the freezer for up to a month, then just proceed as follows.  

Dust each scone  with flour and bake near the top of the oven for 12–15 minutes.

Leave to cool on rack.