Date And Walnut Scones Recipes

Steps:

• Set oven rack to lower center of oven. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Toast walnuts on a baking sheet in the preheated oven for 3 to 5 minutes. Cool.
• Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Toss butter pieces in the flour mixture to coat. Use a pastry blender to cut in the butter until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in toasted walnuts. Beat egg in a large bowl. Mix in the half-and-half, 1 teaspoon maple extract, and vanilla extract. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing just until blended, switching from a spoon to your hands as the mixture comes together. Place dough in refrigerator for 10 minutes.
• Roll chilled dough into a ball on a lightly floured surface. Flatten dough into a 3/4 inch circle. Cut into 8 wedges.
• Bake scones on a parchment lined baking sheet just until firm and the bottoms are lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool for 3 minutes before transferring to cooling racks.
• Stir together the confectioners' sugar, hot water, and 1/8 teaspoon maple extract. Drizzle on scones to glaze.

Steps:

• Prehaeat fan forced oven to 180c.
• Sift the flour, salt and sugar into a bowl. Add the dates, walnuts and lemon zest & mix lightly. Make a well in the centre of the mixture and set bowl aside.
• Whisk the milk, cream and the eggs in a seperate small bowl and pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture.
• Using your fingertips, gently draw the flour mixture into the milk mixture to form a soft dough. (Do not overwork the dough or scones will be too tough).
• Tip the dough onto a clean, floured work surface and gently form into a ball. Press dough lightly using fingertips ~ just to flatten dough.
• Gently roll out the dough until 2-3cm thick then using a 5-6cm scone cutter cut the dough into rounds. Place rounds on a non stick baking tray and brush each round with a little milk.
• Bake scones for 20 minutes or until golden.
• Serve warm with favourite topping.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and lightly dust a baking sheet with flour. Mix the flour, baking powder and a good pinch of salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and rub together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the chopped walnuts and the milk, mix together using a cutlery knife until clumping together, then tip onto your work surface and squash together to form a ball - try not to work the dough too much or your scones will be heavy. Flatten the dough a little with your hand to make a disc roughly 3cm thick, then use a sharp knife to cut into 6 triangles.
• Transfer to a baking sheet, brush with a little beaten egg, then place a walnut half on each scone. Bake for 15 mins until golden and puffed, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve with soft goat's cheese and fig jam, if you like.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line a 12 x 18" (30 x 45 cm) baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Place the butter, both flours, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda into the bowl of a food processor (or use a pastry blender). Process until the mixture is very fine. Transfer to a large bowl and add the pecans and dates. Pour the cream and vanilla over the top. Mix with a fork until a crumbly dough forms.
• Turn onto a work surface. Press the mixture together very lightly - it should be fairly dry. Cut into twelve 2 1/2" rounds (7 cm) or eighteen 1 1/2" rounds (4 cm). Place on the prepared pan. Brush with cream and sprinkle with sugar.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden. Serve warm. Best served the day they are made.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter a 2lb loaf tin (ours was 22 x 10cm and 6cm deep) and line with baking parchment. Put the butter, dates and bicarbonate of soda (which helps break down the dates) in a large bowl and add 150ml boiling water. Give it a stir so the butter melts, and leave to stand for around 20 mins until the dates have softened.
• Whisk in the sugar until smooth, then gradually whisk in the eggs until combined. Beat in the baking powder, flour and a pinch of sea salt until there are no lumps of flour left and it's smooth. Fold in three-quarters of the walnuts, then pour into the prepared tin. Sprinkle the remaining walnuts over the top.
• Bake for 20 mins, then turn the oven down to 170C/150C fan/gas 3 and cook for another 45-50 mins until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 15 mins, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Lightly dust with the icing sugar and serve in slices. Freeze whole or cut into slices, then place in an airtight container or divide between reusable freezer bags. Can be frozen for up to three months. Defrost thoroughly overnight.