RECIPE – VEGAN SCONES
A scone with tea or coffee is the perfect afternoon snack … why not anytime?
Did you know that scones are normally NOT vegan? I was surprised as well.
I always liked scones since I started living in Europe some many years ago, eventually settling in Ireland where great scones are made. Each household, normally the mother, makes their own version. Some like them plain, others with raisin or currants .
From time to time I would meet up with a good friend for a coffee. I often like something to eat with the coffee, a biscuit or a small chocolate … scones are perfect and very common in Ireland. So I introduced the scone to our regular coffee meetings. They were quite big so we would break them in two. Half a scone was the adequate sufficiency for our needs.
My only issue was that they were not vegan. Scones are normally made with butter and milk, even eggs, but I could not have that. Vegan scones are not found in every coffee shop … yet!. I had a problem. The only solution was to make them myself. Since becoming vegan I have been slowly veganising recipes with dairy or other animal products and in most instances the outcome is quite satisfactory.
The ones in the picture above are my second attempt. I was very happy with them and best of all, so was my friend. Now I will need to make them every time we meet – my little contribution to a positive change in this world.
And here is the recipe, very easy and super quick. Make them twice and you will be making them every time you visit a friend’s house – there is nothing better than to bring something homemade as a gesture of thanks.
RECIPE
Traditional Anytime Tea Scones
These are so easy and quick to make, I am not sure why I have not been making them for years … perhaps because I would eat too many of them !
INGREDIENTS
225g Organic self-raising wheat flour ( approx 1 1/2 cups ) 30g Granulated sugar ( 2 tbsp ) 1/2 tsp Baking powder ( if plain flour, use one rounded tsp )40g Vegan dairy free butter / margarine such as Earth Balance ( ~ 3 tbsp ), softened.125g Plant milk ( 1/2 a cup ), soya or almond even cashew100g Raisins or cranberries ( 1/4 – 1/3 cup ) depending on preference Drop or two of vanilla
Note – if you only have plain, pastry flour use it, just double the baking powder amount.
METHOD
Turn the oven to 200 C or 400 F
1 – Mix together well the flour, sugar and baking powder.2 – Work the butter into the flour with your hands until you have a crumbly texture.3 – Add the raisins, the vanilla and the plant milk and mix it well.4 – Form a dough – if too wet add a little flour, if too dry a drop or two of milk.5 – Kneed it for a few minutes6 – Flatten out the dough to 2 cm / 1 inch thickness7 – Cut into 4 for big ones or eight for smaller ones.8 – Bake for approx 20 minutes when they are starting to brown on the edges.
Wonderful with tangy raspberry jam and a hot cup of tea!
A Savoury Option
If you would like to make these savoury and salty to have with soup, chilli or any other stew, omit the sugar and dried fruit and add:
2 tbsp of nutritional yeast1/2 tsp of sea salt1/2 tsp of mixed herbs
You could as well, add grated vegan cheese, perhaps a half a cup to the mix.
Bon appétit!