Today's recipe is simple, fast, and perfect for using up the sourdough discard you may have from feeding your sourdough starter. Cinnamon-raisin scones are a little sweeter than biscuits, but have much the same texture, because the scones get their leavening primarily from baking powder rather than the yeast in the sourdough discard. That means you can make and eat them in about half an hour--no long wait for the yeast to do its thing. Nonetheless, the scones have a pleasant tang from the discard. I do use butter in the scones, but I've kept the amount low and substituted a bit of canola oil and buttermilk to keep the scones light. Golden raisins stud the scones and provide additional sweetness as well as fruitiness. You can, of course, substitute regular raisins or even dried cranberries, if you prefer, but the golden raisins are a little unusual and quite good. Try the scones with dinner, as a treat with coffee, or pop one in the toaster and accompany it with a piece of cheese or a cup of yogurt for a quick breakfast.
Cinnamon-Raisin Sourdough Scones -- Makes 8
1 cup of white whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup of all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of sugar, divided
1 1/4 teaspoons of cinnamon, divided
4 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of canola oil
3 tablespoons of low-fat buttermilk, divided
1 cup of sourdough starter/discard
1/2 cup of golden raisins (or regular raisins)
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking or cookie sheet with parchment paper or coat the sheet with non-stick cooking spray. In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, salt, 1/4 cup of sugar, and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. With a fork or pastry blender, cut in the butter and canola oil until they coat the flour and rough, pea- and smaller-size bits form. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the buttermilk and the sourdough starter/discard until the dough begins to come together. Dump the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and knead the dough into a rough ball, then pat it into a circle about 1 1/2-inches thick. Cut the circle into 8 wedges. Separate the wedges and place them 1-2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Brush the tops of the wedges evenly with the remaining 1 tablespoon of buttermilk and sprinkle the wedges evenly with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon. Bake the scones for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Let them cool a few minutes on the baking sheet before serving them or removing them to cool completely.
