I was leafing through some magazines at the dentist’s the other day, more as a distraction than anything else, trying hard to quell the rising panic in my throat that this particular branch of health care seems to provoke in me. All I could think about as I nervously leafed through those pages was whether I was going to walk out or be brave and see the appointment through. Thankfully the drill was silent or I would have most probably left. You will laugh if I tell you that it was for a scale and polish but there is something about that clinical smell, the clang of sharp instruments, the sound of that God awful suction machine and that big bright overhead lamp that just makes my skin crawl and reduces me to a whimpering child. I got through it, of course I did, but not without a great deal of trepidation first. If anyone deserved a star, a sticker and obviously a gold medal, it was me, I can tell you.
Somehow, despite the rising panic in that waiting room, I registered a picture of walnut topped pastries that popped back in my head when I got home. Well, Celia’s International Scone Week had got it’s hold on me so I had a rummage in the pantry and made these scones based on the Feta, Sun dried Tomato and Thyme Scones I posted last week. This time round, I separated the wedges which made them bake faster and added chopped walnuts and dates to the flour mixture. To heighten the walnut flavour, I also added a little walnut oil to the dough. They are really lovely with a soft cheese and quince or fig jam. The dates lend just enough of a hint of sweetness that goes so well with walnuts. Remember to handle the dough as little as possible to ensure that you have a nice crumbly scone.
Walnut and Date Scones
INGREDIENTS
- 225 g plain flour/AP flour
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- pinch fine salt
- 50 g chopped walnuts
- 50 g chopped ready to eat dates
- 30 ml Mrs Middleton’s rapeseed or a light olive oil
- 20 ml walnut oil
- 125 ml milk
- a little extra milk to glaze
- 8 walnut halves to decorate
INSTRUCTIONS
- Pre-heat oven to 225 C/ 440F. Line baking sheet with baking parchment and sprinkle over a little flour.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt really well to make sure that all the ingredients are well incorporated.
- Stir in the chopped walnuts and dates ensuring that all are well coated in flour. This stops them sinking to the bottom.
- Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the oils and the milk.
- Using the table knife and a light hand, mix in the bowl until the flour has been incorporated.
- Lightly flour or oil your fingers and push into a ball shape in the mixing bowl then turn out straight onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Pat down gently into a circular shape until it is 1 inch in height.
- Using a pizza wheel or a knife, cut into 8 triangles.
- Pull the wedges apart and brush the tops with a little milk. Set a walnut half on top of each one.
- Bake for 15 minutes until golden
Lovely served warm, with a little blue cheese and membrillo (quince paste) or brie/goats cheese and fig jam.
© Selma Jeevanjee and Selma’s Table, 2013, 2014. Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material, including photographs without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Selma Jeevanjee and Selma’s Table with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
It’s International Scone Week and I am joining Celia over at 
It is also my first anniversary here on the blog. It’s been a wonderful year, a huge learning curve with the bonus of getting to know so many of you. I have met 
Rapeseed oil (also known as Canola oil in Canada and the States) has less unhealthy saturated fat than all other cooking oils and fats and is high in beneficial monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats omega 3, 6 and 9 and anti-oxidants. It also has a high smoke point which is very useful for oven roasting, pan and deep frying. In Britain, there are no commercially grown GMO rapeseed crops which is not always the case in other countries. I feel like I have waited far too long to start using this oil!
Anyway, I have been wanting to showcase Mrs Middleton’s rather lovely oil and developed a delicious savoury scone recipe, which is really moist yet crumbly. Unlike most scone recipes, there is no rubbing in of butter or even any addition of eggs. The grated cheese and the oil provide the moisture. Traditionally, self raising flour is used but I have run out so if you would prefer to use self raising flour then only add 1 tsp of baking powder to the flour. These are wedge scones and bake together therefore these do take a little longer to bake than the scones that are stamped out. And remember that the less you handle the dough, the crumblier and shorter your scones will turn out.
