WHOLE WHEAT APPLE PECAN SCONES

Whole Wheat Apple Pecan Scones image

As I was playing around with the mixture for these not-too-sweet scones I learned that if I used as much liquid (in the form of buttermilk or yogurt) as I usually do in my scones, they wouldn't be flaky. That is because the apple provides plenty of liquid. You just need to add enough buttermilk or yogurt to bring the dough together. Otherwise you will have drop biscuits and they will have a consistency more akin to a soft cookie than to a biscuit or scone. Juicy apples like Braeburn, Crispin and Empire work well for these scones.

Provided by Martha Rose Shulman

Categories breakfast, brunch, dinner, lunch, snack, quick breads, appetizer, side dish

Time 30m

Yield 12 scones

Number Of Ingredients 13

Ingredients

1 apple, grated (145 grams grated apple)
1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon or lime zest
1 1/4 cups / 160 grams whole wheat flour,
3/4 cup / 90 grams unbleached all-purpose flour (or use all whole wheat flour)
1 tablespoon / 12 grams baking powder
1/2 teaspoon / 2 grams baking soda
1/4 teaspoon / 2 grams salt
1/2 cup / 55 grams rolled oats
2 tablespoons /30 grams raw brown sugar
6 tablespoons / 85 grams unsalted butter
Up to 1/4 cup / 60 grams buttermilk or yogurt
1/2 cup / 60 grams chopped pecans

Steps:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Toss grated apple with lemon or lime juice and zest in a bowl. Sift together flours, salt, baking powder and baking soda, and stir in oats and sugar. Place in a large bowl or in the bowl of standing mixer fitted with the paddle.
Add butter and mix in with your hands, rubbing the flour and butter briskly between your fingers; or beat on low speed until butter is distributed throughout the flour and the mixture has a crumbly consistency.
Add apple with liquid to the large bowl. Add pecans and stir or mix at medium speed until incorporated. Add just enough yogurt or buttermilk to allow dough to come together.
Scrape out onto a lightly floured surface and gently shape into a rectangle, about 3/4 inch thick. Cut into 6 squares, then cut squares in half on the diagonal to form 12 triangular pieces. Or use a biscuit cutter to cut rounds. Place on baking sheet. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool on a rack.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 193, UnsaturatedFat 5 grams, Carbohydrate 24 grams, Fat 10 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 4 grams, SaturatedFat 4 grams, Sodium 139 milligrams, Sugar 4 grams, TransFat 0 grams