Strawberry Graham Scones
It's no secret that Bon Appetit is having a moment. I know I'm not alone in saying that the BA test kitchen chefs on YouTube, from Brad to Claire to Carla to Rick to all the other charismatically cool chefs, have stolen my heart. So when I stumbled upon these Strawberry Graham Scones on the BA site, I knew I had to try them.
I tweak most of my recipes from their original sources before posting to make them a little better suited to my tastes, but these scones are really just perfection. The graham flour gives them a slightly nutty flavor, while the sugary topping makes them just sweet enough. Best of all, they make great use of strawberry season.
The only part of the recipe I altered were the methods. Bon Appetit calls for pulsing in the butter in a food processor, but I think it's easier to avoid over-mixing if you simply use your fingies to pinch in the butter. Either way, these scones are things of beauty.
Let me know in the comments what you think of the recipe and don't forget to follow the sustainability tips below!
Ingredients
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1¼ cups graham flour or whole wheat pastry flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated or coconut sugar
10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
6 ounces strawberries cut into 1/2" pieces (about 1 ½ cups)
3/4 cup milk of choice
1 large egg yolk
Steps
Preheat oven to 375 F. In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, graham flour, baking powder, salt and 1/4 cup sugar. Cut the butter into small pieces and use your fingers to work the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles wet sand. Add the strawberries and gently toss to combine. In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the milk and egg yolk. Then, pour milk mixture into dry mixture and stir until just combined, being careful not to break up the strawbs too much.
Grab a few tablespoons of the dough and gently shape into a disk, being careful not to work the dough too much. Place scone on a large baking tray lined with parchment paper (ideally compostable parchment - no waste here!) and repeat with remaining dough. Sprinkle tops with the remaining tablespoon of sugar. Place scones in the fridge for about 20 minutes to help them keep their shape. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack and dig in.
Sustainability tips
Flours: I like to buy King Arthur brand flour because King Arthur Flour is a B Corp, which means that they're held to a high environmental and social standard. Alternatively, you could seek out a farmer who grows and mills flour locally. Buying locally can help connect you to your local food system and cut back on the miles your food has to travel.
Sugar: I like to buy coconut sugar because it's easy to find fair trade varieties, but fair trade granulated sugar is another great option here. Read all about it in my sustainable cane sugars post!
Butter and milk: Since cows contribute a lot to climate change, I like to buy my dairy products from B Corps, which are held to really high environmental and social standards. You could also try out vegan dairy options if you're feeling adventurous.
Strawberries: Your best option here is to grow the strawberries yourself, but any local strawberries are a great option. Be sure to make this recipe during the early summer, when strawberries are in season. This way, your strawberries won't have to travel halfway around the world to get to you.
Egg: Local eggs are really easy to find if you look for them. Buying locally means your eggs won't have to travel as far, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and energy use.