The Baked Bite: Whole-Grain, Maple-Berry Scuffins

Last summer, a NYT Cooking recipe from Joanne Chang of Boston’s Flour Bakery went viral. The article described the scones as “self-care with butter and flour”. Well, as soon as I read that, I HAD to bake them. The scones were absolutely delicious, but I wanted to experiment using other kinds of flours and non-dairy products to see what variations I could come up with. I tried a bunch, but finally settled on the recipe that I am sharing today.

The texture of these scones is a cross between a super fluffy muffin and a crumbly scone — hence the title ‘scuffin’. While I made these with blueberries, they would also be delicious with blackberries, huckleberries, raspberries — or dare I say, pecans.

A note: this recipe calls for two types of flours that might not be familiar to you: superfine brown rice flour and tapioca starch (AKA tapioca flour). Click the links to purchase the best brands on Amazon.

The Recipe: Whole-Grain, Maple Berry Scuffins

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup / 75 g whole milk, at room temperature (dairy-free milk will also work)

• 1 tsp lemon juice or vinegar, at room temperature

• 1 2/3 cup / 240 g whole wheat flour

• 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp / 130 g superfine brown rice flour

• 1/4 cup / 30 g tapioca starch

• 1 & 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

• 3/4 cup / 120 g cold, unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-sized pieces

• 1/2 cup / 120 g plain whole-milk yogurt, at room temperature (dairy-free yogurt, such as Kite Hill brand, will also work - though I do not recommend greek yogurt)

• 1/2 cup / 120 ml maple syrup, at room temperature

• 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature

• 1 cup berries, fresh or frozen

• For the glaze:

  • 60 g powdered Monkfruit, erythritol, or sugar

  • 1 & 1/2 tbsp maple syrup

  • 2 tbsp water

Instructions:

1. About an hour before you want to start baking, remove the whole milk, yogurt, and egg from the fridge. If you store your lemon juice / maple syrup in the fridge, also remove those.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together the milk and lemon juice (or vinegar). Set aside and allow to curdle while you continue with the recipe.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add all the dry ingredients together. Using the paddle attachment, stir together on low speed for 10-20 seconds, so the dry ingredients are fully incorporated together.

4. Add half of the butter pieces to the mixer, and then stir on low for 45-60 seconds, so the butter pieces break down into almond-sized pieces and are fully coated in flour. Add the remaining butter, and mix on low again, until most of the is in nut-sized pieces or slightly smaller.

5. Add the yogurt, maple syrup, and egg yolk to the milk/lemon juice mixture. Add this wet mixture into the dry ingredients, and turn the mixture on low. Paddle for 10-20 seconds and then stop the mixer. Turn the mixer back on low for 5 seconds, or one pulse. Repeat 2-3 times.

6. Remove the mixing bowl from the stand and begin folding the mixture together to incorporate all the dry ingredients into the wet. Use your hands. The mixture will be sticky, but just keep working until all the dry ingredients are folded into the wet.

7. Dump the mixture onto the prepared saran wrap, and form into a large, round ball. Wrap the saran over the ball, covering completely and then place the wrapped ball in the fridge. Chill for at least 8 hours (I like to do this overnight).

8. When you are ready to bake the scones, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the scones from the fridge, and use a measuring cup to take 1/2 cup scoops from the dough ball. Drop onto the parchment paper, and form into large mounds. Repeat with all the dough, making sure the scones are a few inches apart. You should have 8 scones.

9. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the tops are golden brown. The exact length of time really depends on your oven. In my toaster oven, it took only 30 minutes, but in my large regular oven, it takes closer to 40. While the scones are baking, prepare the glaze. Mix the maple syrup, water, and powdered sweetener in a small bowl or cup until smooth.

10. When the scones are golden brown, remove them from the oven and place the baking sheet on a wire rack. Using a pastry brush or the back of a spoon, brush the top of each scone with glaze. If you need more glaze, make more. It is very important that you glaze the scones while they are warm, so the dough can absorb the flavor. Allow to cool for 30 minutes.

11. When you are ready to eat and the scones are cool, dribble a bit more fresh glaze on top of the scones and serve immediately. The scones will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.