Of our many items in storage in NZ, it’s my cookbooks I most miss. Cookbooks carry so many memories – the dinners Jesse and I would bake during our first year of marriage straight from Jamie Oliver’s 30 Minute Meals, the revitalizing meals Mum and I would make for one another from The Detox Cookbook, the scribbled recipes filling a journal given to me at my bridal shower that I used over and over…
The cost of shipping over one of my dearly-missed cookbooks all the way from NZ far exceeds that of buying it new here in Canada. However when facing a row of delightful cookbooks, I struggle to accept the idea of purchasing one I already have ‘back home’. To my joy, I recently discovered that our Public Library stocks many of my favourite cookbooks, including the much loved, Good to the Grain by Kim Boyce. I have placed a hold on it and can’t wait to get my hands on it again!
Inspired by the Buckwheat Figgy Scones I baked from Kim Boyce’s book a while back, I decided to play around with a similar concept. Mostly because I wanted cinnamon buns for afternoon tea, without the wait of rising bread dough and with the added challenge of using only maple syrup and dates to sweeten. I came up with these. They are no replacement for cinnamon buns but nevertheless an enjoyable tea time treat – crisp, nutty tasting scone filled with spiced pumpkin or dark chocolate, dates and walnuts. Enjoy.
Buckwheat & Rye Scones
A De La Casa original
Makes 12-15 small scones
1 cup rye flour
1 cup buckwheat flour (I replaced 1/4 cup with barley flour)
2 tbsp maple syrup
½ cup yogurt
1 egg
Chocolate Filling
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1/2 cup dates (softened in boiling water then drained)
1/2 cup toasted walnuts
1/2 cup dark chocolate, chopped
Pumpkin filling
3/4 cup pumpkin
nutmeg, cardamom and cinnamon
2 Tbsp maple syrup
In a food processor, pulse dough ingredients until dough forms a ball, adding more rye flour if necessary. Dough should be firm but malleable. Tip from processor and press into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until slightly firmer (or freeze for 30mins).
For chocolate filling: Place ingredients for chocolate filling in bowl of food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Set aside.
For pumpkin filling: Clean out processor and puree pumpkin mix until smooth and combined (alternatively, mix in a bowl).
Preheat oven to 350˚F. Roll dough out into a large rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Spread evenly with the chocolate or pumpkin filling (or divide rectangle in half and spread with some of each). Using a spatula to carefully lift the fragile dough, rolling it lengthwise to form a long cylinder. Slice and place on baking tray. Brush with milk and bake for 25 mins or until golden on the edges and chocolate has melted. Enjoy warm, or let cool. The pumpkin ones are best with a simple pumpkin icing.
Pumpkin icing
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 Tbsp applesauce
1 Tbsp cornstarch (or arrowroot powder)
vanilla extract
Blend in a food processor or blender until smooth. Pour over cooled scones and allow to set. To store, keep leftover iced scones in the refrigerator.
Hey I can bring back a cookbook for you when I come back in December! Your mum could post one or two to my mum’s place!
That is very true Aunty! Although, I will be there shortly after, in March
so will bring home one or two then!
Gosh, I’m not sure what I’d do without my cookbooks – so much nostalgia from just flipping through the pages. The chocolate filling sounds fantastic!