We are in the last part of January, and it's far from strawberry season in northern Virginia. Nonetheless, I decided strawberry scones would be a good idea for some strange reason--probably spring envy. With extra discard/starter to use, sourdough scones seemed like an even better idea. I could make my scones and use up my starter in the process. In order to get the strawberry flavor and produce my scones quickly, I opted to use part of a strawberry cake mix. The mix advertised, "natural strawberry flavor," but I decided that flavor needed some augmentation by way of the addition of a small amount of freeze-dried strawberries. The scones turned out quite well--light, fruity, and sweet, but not too sweet thanks to the sourdough tang. The treats are more like little buns than British-style scones, but, whatever you call them, they go well with a cup of coffee or tea. Now, what to do with the remainder of that strawberry cake mix...stay tuned for some biscotti!
Sourdough Strawberry Drop Scones -- Makes 10-12
1 cup of sourdough discard/starter
1/4 cup of canola oil
1 egg
2 tablespoons of freeze-dried strawberries, crushed up/broken up a bit (optional)
1 cup of strawberry cake mix (I use Duncan Hines or what's on sale!)
1/2 cup of flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
Sugar for sprinkling
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, beat together until thoroughly blended the discard/starter, oil, egg, and freeze-dried strawberries, if you're using them. Stir in the cake mix, flour, and baking powder until just blended in. Drop the scones by about 2 tablespoon scoops (I use an ice cream scoop spritzed with cooking spray) onto the prepared baking sheet. You should have 10-12 mounds of dough. If you feel so inclined, you can shape the dough into nicer mounds with damp fingers. If you'd like a slightly crackly, nicer crust on the scones, dribble a little milk onto the tops of the mounds and then sprinkle on a little sugar. Bake the scones for about 20 minutes or until firm and just turning golden.
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