BLUEBERRY OAT SCONES

Saturday morning was my first attempt at making scones. If I am honest, I have never been a big fan of scones. They aren't a biscuit, which I love, but they always seemed to need just a little more sugar. I guess that is my sweet tooth talking.

Anyway, this recipe was different from most that I see. It only had 1/3 cup of sugar so I knew it wouldn't be sweet, but I thought I would give it a try anyway. My husband loves blueberries and I like to do something special for Saturday mornings. Guess it goes back to my teaching days and Saturday was the one morning, unless the boys had ball games we went to, that everyone could sleep a little later. 

So Saturday morning, while my husband was still sleeping, I made these Blueberry Oat Scones. When you look at my pictures and directions, you may wonder why I went to all the trouble to make them the way I did....two layers with blueberries in between. 

It is very simple. My experience with blueberries is they always mash up and "bleed". Even when I usually use frozen blueberries. The directions said to stir in the blueberries. Stir in the blueberries! This isn't a thin batter we are working with but a thicker bread dough. I just knew if I tried to stir in even my frozen blueberries, they were going to get squashed. And I didn't want that. I wanted to see whole blueberries. I think my method turned out pretty good.

AND now I am a believer in scones....at least these Blueberry Oat Scones. My husband couldn't say enough good things about them. 

If you decide to take the faster way and just "stir" them in, please let me know how they turned out. Thanks.

BLUEBERRY OAT SCONES

1-1/2     cups flour
3/4       cup quick oats
1/3        cups sugar (I used 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons sugar/stevia blend)
2          teaspoons baking powder
1/4       teaspoon salt
1/4       teaspoon nutmeg
1/3       cup unsalted butter
1           egg
1/2       cup orange juice
1/2       teaspoon grated orange peel
1           cup  fresh or frozen blueberries
1           tablespoon butter, melted
1           tablespoon sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease or spray a cookie sheet.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg with a whisk.

Place the stick of butter in a microwave safe dish for 10 seconds to soften slightly. Cut the butter in thin slices to aid in "cutting in" the butter to the flour mixture. 

Cut in the butter til mixture resembles coarse crumbs. I always end up using my fingers.

In a smaller bowl, beat the egg and then add the orange juice and orange peel.

Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until blended.

On a floured surface, gently knead the dough several times until smooth.

Cut dough in half....

and using your fingers, gently press the dough into a circle about 8 inches. Spread blueberries across the dough. (I used about 3/4 cup of frozen blueberries.)

Shape the other half of dough into a circle about the same size and place on top of the first one sealing the edges.

Carefully turn the dough over onto the cookie sheet and sprinkle a few more blueberries over the top. Move the blueberries as needed to cut the dough into 8 pieces. Do not pull the pieces apart.

Pat or brush the melted butter over the top and then sprinkle top with the sugar.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. I cooked mine the full 25 minutes.

Move to a serving plate and pull apart. May need a knife if you didn't cut them completely through.