Figgy Pear Scones (vegan)

Yummy scones to start the week off on a good foot. The cold/flu sickness is slowly leaving our house and we needed something special to wake up to this sunny Sunday morning. So, some scones it was. I love scones, mostly because they are not meant to be too sweet. Scones are kind of a mix between biscuits and cookies if you ask me. They are not meant to be a cakey muffin or a crispy cookie, they stand alone as a treat to be some what a mix of the two. That is how I like my scones at least. I know if you went to London-town and grabbed a quick tea and "crumpet" or "scone" you might be surprised at how dry they taste. And our commercialized and fast food nation has turned the scone into a modern dessert that can only be indulged with guilt. I must tell you, creating a vegan scone for the healthy soul is actually quite simple. Just a little coconut milk, coconut oil and some fresh fruit and you have a treat.

Since the birth of my son, I have stopped eating chocolate. I know, very sad. Very very sad. I love just a piece of extra dark chocolate to end almost any day. Perfect pieces of happiness if you ask me. Thankfully my adorable son makes up for the lack of chocolate with his cuteness, and knowing it will make him a happier nursed baby- it is really worth it. Still.... I mourn the lack of chocolate. So, I tell you all of this because I have been eating figs as a substitute. Not really a substitute for taste, but more as a little sweet pure treat to end a good meal with. I found a large bag of unsulphured, organic dried figs at a local market and I decided this was my "new" treat. I have loved them so much, and I feel sad that I have not tried them before. Unless fig newtons count... I used to loved those as a kids (hm, maybe a GF recipe in the future...) Anyways, this scone recipe was in need of some figgy-goodness, and I must say, turned out fabulous!

Pre-baked scones on parchment, ready for popping in the oven.

Figgy Pear Scone Recipe

1 cup of brown rice flour

1/2 cup of millet flour

1/2 cup of sweet sorghum flour

1/2 cup of tapioca flour

1/2 cup of sucanat or coconut palm sugar

1 ts. of xanthan gum

2 ts. of baking powder

1 ts. of baking soda

1/2 ts. of sea salt

1 ts. of ground cinnamon

1/3 cup of coconut oil

1/4 cup of agave nectar

1 ts. of pure vanilla

1/3 cup of applesauce

2/3 cup of So Delicious coconut milk beverage (or other non-dairy milk) with 2 TB of fresh lemon juice *make buttermilk mixture* I recommend the coconut milk beverage because it is perfectly thick and creamy with lots of nutrients, much better than say a thin rice milk.

1 cup of diced dried, unsulphured organic figs

1 cup of diced fresh pear pieces

First, mix 2/3 cup of coconut milk beverage with 2 TB of fresh lemon juice in a small separate bowl. This mixture will make a buttermilk like mixture after sitting for 10 minutes. Then, mix all of the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add the softened coconut oil to the dry ingredients and mix well like you are making a pie crust and have little pellets (or pea sized pieces of dough). Then, after mixing the dry and the oil together, add the rest of the wet ingredients, including the *buttermilk mixture* and mix well. Then lastly, add the dried figs and fresh pears. Mix well and let sit just a minute to thicken up and be ready for putting on the baking sheet.

For best baking results: Use a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Then use a large ice cream scoop with inside scraper to make little balls for the scones to bake as. Or if you do not have a special ice cream scooper, then oil your hands with just a touch of coconut oil and form 1/3 cup sized balls with your hands for the scones. Almost like rolling a big cookie in your hands. This recipe will make about 12 scones that are 1/3 cup sized. You can make more or less depending on how big you want them. The picture above is of the scones right after they were baked and pulled from the oven. As you can see they did not spread very much, so just be aware that you do not need to worry too much about space on your cookie sheet.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 375 degrees for 20-22 minutes depending on your oven and to your liking. Let cool for a few minutes before moving from pan.

Then comes the time for eating! The best part. If you would like a little sweetness added to your scones, then I suggest drizzling a little maple syrup or agave as a glaze over the top of a scone before serving. It would just add a taste of sweetness without the addition of refined sugars. I hope you enjoy and stay warm this cold winter day.

Have a beautiful Sunday!

Much love-

Stephanie