Creamy Hazelnut Sherry Whole Wheat Scones

I have been dreaming of making hazelnut scones ever since Sheila brought home a bottle of Duet hazelnut cream sherry after a tasting at the Petaluma Tasting Room, that has been sitting in our liquor cabinet ever since.  Being rained in all weekend, I finally took the opportunity to crack the bottle and make the most luscious, whole wheat, hazelnut scones.  They are very subtly sweet and distinctly hazelnut scented, with an earthy texture created by the whole wheat, flax meal and hazelnuts, then studded with cocoa nibs for a little sweetness and contrast. 

 

I based my creation on Delicious Days scone recipe with some major adjustments to incorporate more whole grains and of course, hazelnuts.  If you would like a fluffier scone, I would suggest 50/50 white and whole wheat flour.  If you don't have incredible hazelnut sherry, you can substitute any liqueur with a splash of milk, or any extract with milk or water in place of the wet ingredients (just be sure to keep the wet/dry ratio the same)

Creamy Hazelnut Sherry Whole Wheat Scones

1.5 cups (200g) whole-wheat flour (or 3/4 cups each white/wheat)

4 tbsp flax seed meal

1.5 tsp baking powder

2.5 tbsp sugar (or honey)

0.5 tsp fine sea salt

4 tbsp (60g) cold butter

1/4 cup (50g) chopped hazelnuts (or other nut)

4 tbsp cocoa nibs or dark chocolate pieces (optional) [I used as a topper, not a mixin', but both are great options]

2/3 cup hazelnut sherry and 2 tbsp whole milk OR 1 tbsp hazelnut extract and 2/3 cups milk or buttermilk

for brushing: 1 egg yolk and 1 tbsp milk

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Recipe can be mixed by hand, but distributing the butter is much easier in a food processor.  

Mix dry ingredients. 

Dice cold butter into small cubes and cream into dry ingredients until well incorporated. 

Mix wet ingredients.  

Add wet ingredients to dry/butter mixture.  

Mix until incorporated.  

Turn mixture onto well floured surface and knead for 30 seconds.

Form a rectangle, ~.5 inches thick by 4-6 inches wide.

Use a large knife or kitchen scraper to divide dough into 4 inch sections.

Cut each 4 inch section diagonally to create 2 triangles.

Please triangles on parchment paper and top with cocoa nibs or additional hazelnuts, if you wish.

Bake for 10-14 minutes until edges are golden brown.

Wild Yeast Starter

Today I baked my first wild yeast sourdough bread.  It was as tasty and beautiful as any artisan bread I've purchased for $9, but it came from my own kitchen from nothing more than flour, water and salt.  I was initially very overwhelmed by all of the different, often conflicting, starter techniques I was reading about in blogs and professional bread books, but it turns out that they're all right as long as you choose one and stick with it.  I also confirmed that wild yeast (read: mad dough) is the most adaptable, forgiving living thing within these four walls.

In honor of this fine city of San Francisco and the incredible brunch I enjoyed last Saturday, I chose to follow the Tartine method for country bread.  I highly recommend the Tartine Bread book to anyone who has considered baking their own bread.  I followed this recipe loosely from start to finish, with some major detours based on my schedule and slight carelessness, and it still transformed into my favorite bread ever. 

The answer is in the wild yeast starter, and the secret is leaving it alone.

In a large container mix 50% whole wheat and 50% white flour.  This is what you will feed your starter.

Mix 3 tablespoons of 50/50 flour mixture and 3 tablespoons of room temperature water in a clear dish or measuring cup so that the container is less than half full. 

Cover with a towel (not a secure lid or the wild yeast won't be able to get in) and let rest at room temperature for 3 days.

Small bubbles should have started to form.  If not, leave it for another.  Dump out half of the mixture and replace with 2 tablespoons flour and 2 tablespoons water.  Mix well.

Cover with a towel and let rest at room temperature for 2 days. 

Activity should have increased slightly.  Dump out half of the mixture and replace with 2 tablespoons flour and 2 tablespoons water.  Mix well.

Begin a daily routine of covering with a towel and letting rest at room temperature for 1 day, then dump out half of the mixture and replace with 2 tablespoons flour and 2 tablespoons water.

Continue the routine around the same time daily for about one week until the starter develops a pattern of eating lots of flour, inflating with gas, deflating, eating the next day, inflating, deflating, and so on.
Once you catch and train your wild yeast starter you can begin making incredible breads with complex flavors, chewy crumb and extended shelf life!