Scones with Spelt and Buckwheat
When you spend a few days in a holiday home you only buy what is absolutely essentials for your stay, right?!
This is how – during our recent trip to France – I discovered that buckwheat and spelt flour are totally indispensable! At least, this is what I deduct from the fact that they landed in the cart on our first shopping trip.
Or do I need to accept that I might be dealing with a touch of bread-baking obsession here? (Especially as my previous post is also about a holiday-bread experience)
No! Thankfully I can reverse-construct a good “reason”: there was no bakery close to our little holiday house, which meant that having these flours saved us from the horrible fate of suffering stale bread.
Actually I need to correct myself on one point here: I can hardly describe the place as “little”. It was a huge converted barn – a “little” dark and cold, but incredibly spacious with a fabulously equipped kitchen….and a huge oven that just had to be used.
(Let’s hope nobody will notice I am side-stepped the flour-situation by inserting holiday pictures of our “little shed” and lovely Saint-Cirq-Lapopie).
But now about these scones:
- Quick and no fuss – they come together in no time at all. A little stir, roll, cut, and bake. No resting required.
2. A note on the cheese – it makes the scones better but is not absolutely necessary: without the cheese they are still tasty, however the texture of both crumb and crust is a little more solid. They are certainly less golden and pretty. If you are watching your fat-intake you can leave out the cheese, but otherwise I would suggest using it.
3. And then the secret trick – first you press the dough with your hands to half the thickness you would for a scone. After that you fold the dough double, press it lightly again before you cut out the scones. This creates a beautifully layered scone that breaks open easily. I am sure I will use this trick for other recipes as well.
4. Substantial – these innocent looking biscuits will fill you up and keep your hunger at bay for a good while. For a full breakfast or lunch they are fabulous with scrambled eggs (with spinach and tomato, or filled with cottage cheese and chives, for example).
Ingredients
(from the blog ‘The Healthy Epicurean‘)
Serves 4 (12/16 or so scones)
150g spelt flour
100g buckwheat flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp paprika
large pinch sea salt
1 tbsp chia seeds (optional)
100g strong cheese* (as I was in France I used aged Comté as suggested in the original recipe)
1 tbsp olive oil
125 ml milk
1 egg
Recipe
- Preheat oven to 180C.
- In a large bowl sift together the two types of flour, baking powder, paprika and salt. Add chia if using.
- Grate the cheese. Using a metal spoon stir the cheese into the dry ingredients.
- In a separate bowl mix together the egg and milk. Then add the olive oil.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Using the metal spoon quickly stir together until a dough starts to form (add a little milk if the dough is too dry).
- Using your hands press the dough on a clean surface to about 5mm thick. (Do not use a rolling pin. It is too heavy and will stop the scones from rising.)
- Fold the dough back onto itself and gently flatten with the palm of your hand. (Folding it double will create that “break” in de the middle to cut the scone open.)
- Using a round cutter to cut scones (about 12-16 depending on the size of your cutter). You can gather the scraps and flatten them out again, be careful not to overwork the dough.
- Place on a baking tray and bake about 15 minutes until golden.
- Serve hot or cold.
Tips & Variations
* You can omit the cheese; however the crumb as well as crust have a better texture with the cheese. On top of that the cheese makes the scones look wonderfully golden. But if you are watching your fat intake you can leave out the cheese and have a fabulously healthy scone.
Serve with
- Scrambled eggs (with spinach and tomato, or filled with cottage cheese and chives, for example)
- Brie and grapes
Other bread recipes
afra cooking 
I will make these once I get the ingredients. I like your tip of folding over the dough to make a natural break in them. Looks like a fabulous place for a holiday.
You really should give these a try: so tasty and that with so little work. And both buckwheat and spelt flour are so versatile. I especially enjoy buckwheat. The flour has so much character and it is so good for you. I love using it for crepes and pancakes. If you get a chance to try these scones let me know how they turned out and if you made any changes. Always curious!
That “barn” kitchen is gorgeous!
It really was such a lovely place to stay. Far away from busy city life!
I love both spelt and buckwheat. These scones look and sound healthy and scrumptious, Afra.
I especially like buckwheat. But I do find it a little more difficult to work with as it can make for a tough dough. I always happy when I find a new recipe using it that works.
wow, simply damn delciious scone….
Thank you! That is a damn nice compliment 😉
Your delectable scones look irresistable & Amazing! Waw! Yummmmm! 😀
Thank you sweetie, glad you like the look of them!
Never used spelt or buckwheat flour, ever in my life. The scones look very tasty. I am gonna give it a go….how have you been? I was looking at the Grant Loaf and saw your nice comments which directed me here. Have a lovely week!
I adore buckwheat flour. It has a beautiful rich nutty flavour. Probably because it is a seed rather than a grain. This also means it has no gluten, which means it takes a little to get used to working with. But I wouldn’t want to do without. If you start experimenting with it maybe start by making some crepes (with some dill in the batter and cheese on top). But there are many lovely recipes!
These scones look absolutely delicious! I love the healthy ingredients and the trick of folding the dough to ease cutting. I recently made some scones and wish I knew this earlier. Your holiday home looks fabulous!
It really is such a handy trick – especially as the dough is a little dense due to the buckwheat. Although I still love the recipe for regular scones I got off some dear friends I reserve it for those moments I do not mind the decadence of white flour and butter. This recipe is one of these lovely finds that taste good and is good for your health at the same time.
Absolutely delisshhh
Thank you for the lovely compliment!
I know your scones had to be delicious. Eating them in your holiday home had to make them extra special.
You are right: it was lovely sitting there in our little barn planning our next day-trip over these scones.
Mmmmm…. Those scones look so delicious! And they sound reasonably healthy!
Am vegan so have used almond milk and omitted the egg, they are in the oven at the moment..so am not sure how they will turn out without the egg..lets see 🙂
Verry nice – I like the scones.