Raspberry Thumbprint Wholewheat Scones with Macadamia Nuts

4.28.10

Since I know how to bake, I rarely buy baked goods to keep handy at home. Wait! Don't get me wrong. I will buy baked goods at a good bakery shop. I'm talking like when you need cookies, cupcakes, or stuff like that at home just to satisfy your appetite. I would rather bake it myself than spend $$ on it.

Am I crazy? I hope not...

I have tried to bake after work a few times. Man, it was tiring...especially when I had to make dinner earlier. So, one of my weekend days is now saved for complicated and time consuming recipes. Nowadays, I feel like my body and mind are programed for cooking.  As soon as I get home, my body goes straight to the kitchen and starts rummaging in there. It's like when you get up, you have to brush your teeth and shower..yeah..it's like that.  The kitchen is my territory.  My husband, Keith, isn't allowed in there. He comes to help sometimes, but I would rather have him sit and watch.."get out of my way"...

One Saturday came and I was free! Time to get these scones in the jar. We've been trying to eat healthy with all whole wheat, organic grain, and less fat milk. This recipe is a good combination of those things and it comes together in less than 45 minutes

Raspberry Thumbprint Wholewheat Scones

Yield: 20 scones

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
5 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup nonfat-sour cream (a little over 3/4 cup is fine too)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
1/3 cup chopped dried cranberries
1/3 cup coarsely chopped macadamia nuts
1/2 cup powdered sugar
4 teaspoons reduced-fat milk
3 tablespoons raspberry jam - sugar free

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 F
• Place oats in a food processor. Process until finely ground
• Add flours, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and allspice to a food processor. Pulse 3 times
• Add butter; pulse 5 times until mixture resembles coarse meal. Be very careful - Don't over beat.
• Add 1 tsp vanilla and sour cream; pulse 3 times or just until combined ( DO NOT over-mix). If you're afraid you might over-mix, you can transfer the mixture into a big bowl and add sour cream and vanilla. Use spatula to mix. If you over-mix, the mixture will be too runny.
• Add cranberries, and nuts. Use spatula to mix well.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead lightly 3 times. Roll dough to a 1/2 inch thickness; cut with a 2 1/2 inch biscuit cutter
• Place cut dough on a baking sheet. Use a watermelon scoop or small round spoon to press in a middle of each cut though to make a half hole for raspberry jam
• Mix together jam and the remaining vanilla extract.
• Add 1/2 teaspoon of jam into a hole. Don't over put it otherwise it will run all over a scone.
• Bake for 14 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from baking sheet; transfer to a wire rack
• While they're cooling, combine powdered sugar and milk. Stir with a whisk until smooth. Drizzle the glaze evenly over scones.

Use the scoop to create a hole-thumbprint for Raspberry jam

Ready to go in an oven

Drizzle the glaze evenly over -You can substitute reduced-fate milk to soy milk but the color of the glaze will be yellowish

My Martha Stewart's moment- Packaged them for lovely friends