Buckwheat Scones

It’s always fun to try out a new type of flour, and see how its unique characteristics translate into a baked dish. This was my first time using buckwheat flour, and although a part of me wanted to make buckwheat cookies, I decided to try something that I would be able to eat for breakfast the next morning. That’s not to say that cookies cannot be a breakfast item, but I had a very specific intention in mind with these. Before I get out in the morning to do a day of gardening, I like to have a filling and wholesome breakfast; if I eat too much sugar in the morning, then I end up feeling overfull and slightly off-balance. But these scones, while sweetened with a bit of brown sugar, do not overwhelm. They provided me with a hearty satiation, as opposed to a heavy bloat.

The buckwheat gave the scones an earthy quality, and the slight addition of flaxseeds added to the nuttiness of the flour. And after I did a little research on buckwheat, I found out what a nutritional and fiber-full grain it truly is. Not only is it high in dietary fiber, but also in manganese and magnesium, and it’s been said to help lower cholesterol levels and blood pressure. I think the next step would be to get some buckwheat groats and prepare it as a breakfast cereal. For a quicker morning meal, these scones were filling and delicious, and I could feel the positive energy from the buckwheat helping me through my morning work.

Buckwheat Scones

Ingredients:
1 cup unbleached white flour
½ cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cup buckwheat flour
½ tsp. sea salt
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 Tbsp. ground flaxseeds
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, chilled and diced
1 egg
¼ cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup rice milk
½ cup dates, chopped
Cinnamon and sugar for sprinkling

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400º F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, salt, baking powder, and flaxseeds. Cut in the butter and blend until there are course crumbs.
3. In a small bowl, mix the egg, brown sugar, and rice milk. Pour this mixture into the flour mixture, and blend well. Stir in the dates.
4. Turn the dough onto the prepared sheet, and shape into a circle, about ½ inch thick. Cut the dough into 4, 6, or 8 wedges, and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake for 20 minutes, and cool on a wire rack.