Strawberry Basil Scones
adapted from Heat Oven to 350 [1]
This recipe is dairy-free, thanks to the wonders of the coconut (subbing coconut oil for butter and coconut milk for heavy cream). Yes, there is a very faint flavor of coconut, but otherwise you would be hard-pressed to distinguish between these and a dairy-baked version.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup coconut oil
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1 1/2 cups all-purpose and 1 cup white whole wheat), plus extra as needed
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 heaping cup chopped fresh strawberries
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
2 eggs
1/2 cup coconut milk, plus more for brushing
Coarse sugar, for garnish (optional)
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F
2. Measure out the coconut oil onto a piece of wax paper or parchment paper and place in the freezer for 15 minutes (see notes below).
3. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Gently stir in the strawberries and basil.
4. When the coconut oil is nice and cold, use a sharp knife to cut it into small pieces. Try not to the touch the oil with your fingers as you cut (the warmth of your fingers will melt the oil; in fact, placing the knife in the freezer along with the oil is a good idea). Add the coconut oil pieces to the flour mixture and use a pastry cutter or large fork to incorporate them into the dough. You’ll have some pea-sized pieces — that’s okay. Create a well in the center.
5. Beat the eggs and coconut milk in a small bowl until just combined. Pour the egg mixture in the well you created in the flour mixture. Use a large spatula or spoon to gently stir everything together — folding motions work well here — until just combined (don’t overmix).
6. Generously flour a work surface and turn out the dough — it might be a shaggy mass, but it will come together. Gently knead the dough several times, turning after each knead. If the dough is very sticky, sprinkle some flour over the dough and knead several times to incorporate. Pat the dough into a disk about 1″ thick.
7. Line a dinner plate with parchment paper and center the dough on the plate. Place in the freezer for 20 minutes.
8. Transfer the dough and parchment paper to a baking sheet. Slice the disk into 8 wedges and pull them apart slightly. Brush with coconut milk and sprinkle with coarse sugar, if using.
9. Bake 16-18 minutes, or until the tops are a light golden brown and a toothpick inserted through the center of one wedge comes out clean. The scones’ interior edges might look a little wet, but they’ll set when cool. Transfer the scones and parchment paper to a cooling rack to rest. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes:
You’ll want the coconut oil to be solid before you place it in the freezer. Coconut oil is solid at temps under 76°F, but if your kitchen is warm and your oil has liquefied, just place the jar in the fridge for 15 minutes prior to prep. (The purpose of freezing the oil is the same as using cold, cold butter — you want the chunks to remain solid within the dough for as long as possible during the bake, which will yield a tender, fluffy scone.)