Maple Blueberry Scones

Last month I perused a cookbook by Joanne Chang whose Flour Bakery + Cafe in Boston has been an unqualified success. When I saw this recipe in Friday's New York Times, I knew I had to try it. I've been on a quest for the perfect scone for some months now. While I love blueberries, I'm not fond of the color they tend to impart to scones, but the taste more than makes up for that muddied appearance. Since I didn't have creme fraiche or buttermilk on hand, I improvised. A shot of white vinegar in the milk will, after a few minutes, give a reasonable facsimile of buttermilk. Sour cream stood in for the creme fraiche with no one the wiser. Finally, and you may not want to hear this, I don't like real maple syrup, but I love Mrs. Buttersworth's lite maple syrup, so that's what I used. These scones went together quickly and after an hour's rest in the refrigerator, were scooped onto a parchment covered baking sheet and done in 45 minutes.

Makes 8 scones.

For the scones:

• 1 ⅔ cups/240 grams whole-wheat flour
• 1 cup/130 grams all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¾ cup/170 grams unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), cold, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• ½ cup/120 grams crème fraîche, Greek yogurt or sour cream, at room temperature
• ½ cup/120 milliliters maple syrup
• ⅓ cup/80 milliliters buttermilk, at room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
• 1 cup/125 grams fresh blueberries

For the glaze:

• ½ cup/60 grams confectioners’ sugar
• 2 to 3 tablespoons maple syrup

PREPARATION

1. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, briefly mix both flours, the baking powder, baking soda and salt on low speed. Add half the butter and paddle until fully mixed into the flour, 2 to 3 minutes. (This will coat the flour with butter so the scones are tender.)

1. Add the remaining butter to the bowl of the stand mixer. Pulse the mixer three or four times to mix the pieces into the dough while keeping them whole. (This step will give you small pieces of butter in the dough, which will help the scones be a bit flaky.)

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream, maple syrup, buttermilk and yolk until thoroughly mixed. Stir in the blueberries. With the mixer on low, pour the blueberry mixture into the flour mixture, and paddle on low for about 10 seconds to get some of the liquid mixed into the flour. Stop the mixer, and mix the rest of the loose flour into the dough by hand: Gather and lift the dough with your hands and turn it over in the bowl several times until all the loose flour is mixed in. Shape the dough into a ball, wrap it well and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or for up to 1 day. (This gives the flour time to fully absorb the liquid.)

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees, and position a rack in the center. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

1. Using a 1/2-cup measuring cup or ice cream scoop, scoop out 8 mounds of chilled dough, and place them on the baking sheet a few inches apart. Bake scones for 35 to 45 minutes, rotating the baking sheet midway through the baking time, until the scones are evenly golden brown and firm when you press them.

1. While the scones are baking, make the glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar and enough maple syrup to make a thick, spreadable glaze. Use immediately, or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Rewhisk before using.

1. As soon as you remove the scones from the oven, use a pastry brush to brush them with the glaze while they’re warm. Let cool on the baking sheet for 30 minutes, then serve.
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3. TASTE NOTES
4. The two-step method of incorporating the butter results in a flaky exterior and cake-like interior, making this a win-win scone. No one would ever call it healthy, but the addition of the whole wheat flour adds a dimension to the taste. I loved the sticky glaze and the sweetness imparted by the maple syrup. These were very, very good and will, hopefully, freeze well since I have half of them left for next weekend.

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