Earl Grey, Honey and Oat Milk Scones - Dairy Free
Sconedays:
The ‘Circle of Life’ for a New Scone Recipe
As we work on the blog today, we’re listening to acapella African music from the Lion King, anticipating going to the new movie tomorrow. It’s nostalgic and heart-filling to go to these remakes or the final film in a series with our adult children that we first saw as a family when they were little.
A few weeks ago, we saw Toy Story 4 with Rebel and embarrassed her with how much her parents were laughing out loud throughout the whole thing. With Lion King, I probably won’t be laughing as much as I’ll tear up, starting with the Zulu words when “Circle of Life” begins, “Nants ingonyama bagithi baba…”
Over the last year, we’ve had a scone recipe that has been through its own ‘circle of life’ several times. In fact, we tried and failed three times until we had success the fourth.
It all began when I noticed a variety of recipes online for Earl Grey Scones. They sounded good and like something we needed to test. Before even trying one of the recipes as they were written, though, we changed too many things at once.
We swapped out the sugar for honey (tea and honey, right?) and then used a new nondairy milk we’d not yet baked with. We’d recently discovered oat milk at our favorite coffee shop and loved the flavor. When it finally showed up in grocery stores, we wanted to try it in scones.
It’s fun experimenting and creating new recipes, but when a recipe doesn’t work out the first time, it can also mess with our blog schedule. We’re quarter-time bloggers with full time other work so we have just one day a week set aside when we get together and cook, bake, take pictures, and write up the recipes and posts.
Here’s what we love about these scones: the subtle hint of black tea enhanced with honey and oat milk flavors. Most nut milks and coconut milk are great to bake with yet have distinctive textures or flavors that come through. The oat milk blended with the other flavors and didn’t call attention to itself, and the texture is great as long as you make sure to use enough so that the dough isn’t dry.
Our test came ‘full circle,’ and now we have a reliable recipe to bake for family and friends. Hope you’ll try it and let us know your results. Serve them up with our Dairy Free Clotted Cream for an extra special treat.
~ Lee
P.S. In the pictures you’ll see my new favorite mug from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada — an amazing day of gardens and high tea at The Empress Hotel. Hope to have a story for you about that soon.
Recipe card updated July 12, 2020, to correct instructions on whisking dry ingredients (no sugar in this recipe).
Early Grey, Honey and Oat Milk Scones
Ingredients:
- 3 cups flours
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons whole leaf Earl Grey tea
- 3/4 cup vegan margarine
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1 cup oat milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 egg white
- Turbinado sugar (optional)
Instructions:
- Heat oven to 400°
- Grind (in a coffee grinder, spice mill or mini food processor) the whole leaf tea to measure 3 tablespoons.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients: flour (see notes), Earl Grey tea, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Slice the margarine into small cubes. Cut in the margarine with a pastry blender or fork until coarse and resembles the size of small peas.
- Mix the honey into the oat milk until dissolved.
- With a fork, stir the milk-honey mixture into the flour mixture until the dough just comes together. The dough should be sticky.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured board. Gently knead 3-4 times.
- Pat half the dough into a circle about 3/4" thick. With a dough scraper or large knife, cut into 6 or 8 triangles. Repeat with the remaining half of the dough. Or, cut out using 2 1/2" cookie cutters.
- Place scones on an ungreased baking sheet. For easy cleanup, use silpat mats or parchment paper.
- Freeze for 15 minutes.
- Lightly whisk the egg (or use non-dairy milk) and brush over the tops of the scones. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
- Bake for 14-16 minutes until golden brown. Store leftover scones in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
