I’ve had this scone recipe from the incomparable Heidi, waiting in the wings for a few weeks. I’ve become slightly obsessed with agave nectar and, since Heidi already used a natural sweetener (maple syrup), I thought this would be a perfect recipe to experiment with.  I should probably warn you … when you come home from the store with a mountain of strawberries that look as beautiful as these do and you happen to have just enough milk in the fridge for one batch of scones … you might end up having what I’ve termed a Sudden Strawberry Scone Emergency.

Fear not, this emergency can be easily and quickly handled.  However, there is only one way to put out the fire: Make strawberry scones immediately.  Luckily, these only take about 35 minutes to prep and bake (plus a few minutes for cooling … if you can wait!).  Upon devouring these perfect little scones, your Sudden Strawberry Scone Emergency will be under control in no time.  At least mine was!

These scones are crumbly, delicate and not-too-sweet.  In fact, they really only have a hint of sweetness.  It’s a nice change from the mass-marketed, overpoweringly sweet scones that tend to induce a sugar coma.  The strawberries add a nice, subtle sweetness and prevent them from being too dry.  These would be the perfect accompaniment to a morning or afternoon cup of tea.

This recipe only makes about 8-9 scones, but given how irresistible they are, I think you’ll be glad that you have less than a dozen around to tempt you.  These would be ideal for a brunch or an afternoon tea party, but I’d double the recipe (at least) to make sure you have enough.  As a side note, mixing the diced strawberries into the crumbly dough can seems bit frustrating at first.  I would suggest patting your strawberries dry with a paper towel before mixing them in so as to avoid over moistening the dough.  Also, be gentle with the dough.  Fold the berries in carefully and don’t worry if some insist on jumping out, just push them back in!

Whole Wheat Strawberry Scones
Adapted from Heidi’s Maple Syrup Scones

1/4 cup agave nectar
6 TBL milk or cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 1/2 TBL baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
11 TBL unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
1/2 – 3/4 cup diced strawberries
1 egg, lightly beaten
large-grain or sparkling sugar (Sugar in the Raw works perfectly)

Directions:

- Preheat the oven to 400F degrees with the rack in the top 1/3. Line one baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Whisk together the agave nectar, vanilla and milk in a small cup, and set aside.
- Combine the flour, oats, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl.
- Using a food processor, cut the butter into the flour mixture, pulsing until it appears sandy (about 20 quick pulses). You can also use a hand-held pastry blender or a pair of forks to cut the butter into the flour.  Continue mixing until you have a good sandy texture.
- Add the agave/milk mixture. Mix until the dough comes together. Be careful to avoid overmixing.  You can add a little more milk if the dough is too dry.
- Gently fold in the strawberries with your hands.  The dough will be very crumbly, this is ok!
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface or a piece of parchment paper, kneed once or twice, if necessary to bring the dough together.  Press in any strawberries that may have fallen out. Be gentle with the dough and avoid over working it.
- Press the dough into a 1-inch thick rectangle or circle. Cut into even sized pieces. Place the pieces on the prepared baking sheet with at least 1/2 inch between each scone. Brush the tops with the beaten egg and sprinkle with the large-grain or sparkling sugar.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden along the bottom and tops.

Makes 8-9 scones.

Similar Recipes:

• Whole Wheat Almond Scones
• Whole Wheat Pumpkin Scones
• Whole Wheat Apple Scones
• Homemade Strawberry Cake

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