The coffee house scones look good but don't always taste that great. They also are incredibly expensive. A cup of coffee and a scone will set you back about as much as a full meal in some cases. Moreover, the fat, sugar, and calorie count in those coffee house scones many times will be more than you should have in a full meal. So what's the alternative? How about some simple almond scones that you can mix up quickly and easily at home? I wouldn't go so far as to say the almond scones are "health food," but they are far better nutritionally as well as in taste than those coffee house dough bombs. The almond scones mix up in just a few minutes and are great for breakfast during the week or to take to work and share. Or invite a friend over for coffee and scones and skip the coffee house.
Almond Scones -- Makes 8
1 cup of flour
1 cup of almond meal/flour
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/3 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of butter or Smart Balance
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon of almond extract
1/4 cup of milk
1/3 cup of slivered almonds
2-3 tablespoons of raw (turbinado) sugar
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and coat a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray or line it with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, almond meal, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and sugar. With a pastry blender or fork, cut in the butter until small crumbs form (or you can rub the butter in with your fingers, if you'd like). Some crumbs will be tiny, and others will be a little larger. That's okay. In a small bowl or measuring cup whisk the egg, almond extract, and milk together, then add them to the dry ingredients. Stir the dough with a large spoon until it comes together. Dump the slightly wet dough onto the prepared baking sheet and pat it into a large circle--roughly 1/2-inch thick and about 8 inches in diameter. Sprinkle on the slivered almonds and then the raw sugar, pressing them into the dough just a little. Cut the dough into quarters, then eighths, not separating the dough. Bake the dough for about 20 minutes or until golden. Remove the scones from the oven and cut them again. At this point you can eat them, "as is" or separate the scones on the baking sheet and return them to the oven for 2-3 minutes, which will crisp them up a bit more. Let the scones cool a little and serve them plain or with jam. And don't forget the coffee or tea.
