I developed a love for scones from my Nanna. When entering her front door for a visit, the smell of freshly baked scones wafts down the hall and the taste of homemade jam, a dollop of fresh cream and warm scone crumb is something still to this day, I consider my ultimate comfort food.
I have developed my Ayurvedic version of the humble scone that really celebrates the best of food - taste, nutrition and healing capabilities. This recipe uses raisins, as it is a significant medicinal food in Ayurveda, but any dried fruit you have would I am sure, work well too. The warming spices have been added to aid in positive digestion with the cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and fennel blending delightfully well as a profile.
These scones make for a perfect slow breakfast on the weekend or as the hero of your afternoon tea with family and friends. For another Ayurvedic approach on how to serve them, I highly recommend some warm ghee or coconut oil instead of cream - absolutely delicious!
WHAT YOU WILL NEED
Makes 15
3 1/2 cups wholemeal, organic and unbleached self-raising flour
85 gm coconut oil (not melted at room temperature, slightly hardened is ideal)
1 1/2 cups almond milk (coconut, oat and rice milk work well too)
1 cup raisins chopped
1 heaped tsp cardamom powder
1 heaped tsp cinnamon powder
1/2 heaped tsp ginger powder
1/2 heaped tsp fennel powder
METHOD
Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius and prepare two baking trays with a grease-proofing method of your choice.
In a large bowl, add the flour and oil, using your hands to combine the oil and flour until the mixture resembles bread crumbs.
Make a well in the centre and now add the milk, raisins and spices.
Again using your hands, from the sides of the bowl, fold the mixture into the centre well and keep gently folding until all the ingredients are well combined. Please use gentle pressure and don't overwork the dough as this will make the scones dense and low-rising.
Take the dough out of the bowl and onto a lightly floured surface, roll it into a large ball and then gently pat it out with your hands to make a roughly 2-3 cm thick round shape (imagine you are patting the mixture out over a chopping board).
Use a 5 cm round cutter (4 or 6 cm works fine too) to press into the dough, gently cutting each scone and placing it onto the baking tray. Continue to roll the dough back into a ball and pressing it out into a 2-3 cm thick round shape until all the scones are formed.
Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes until the scones have risen and become golden brown.
Wrap the scones in a clean tea towel or cloth and pop in a basket to keep warm. Serve immediately with ghee and homemade jam if desired, delicious!
DISCLAIMER
The sole purpose of these articles is to provide information about the science of Ayurveda. If you have an acute or chronic health concern, please consult your chosen trained health care professional who can fully assess your needs and address them effectively. If you are seeking the medical advice of a qualified Ayurvedic Practitioner, contact The Sattva Centre directly - info@thesattvacentre.com