Cluck, Muck & Cook

Baking & Foodie Blog From Sunny Brentwood Essex

scones

2 Bake with the kids

Vegan Hot Cross Scones

I have had some great fun playing around with some Vegan baking over the last few weeks. Something I was a little skeptical about to start with if I am honest, more from my lack of understanding around Vegan baking.

But I tried a few great recipes from the Little Blog of Vegan who I follow on Instagram, which have been delicious, especially the carrot cake and this got me intrigued.

I think the key is to make things that can stand in their own right and where the non vegan equivalent is not so dairy and egg laden that you struggle to get the same textures and flavours.

So it was perfect timing when I was prepping for an Easter baking class that I was presenting with Bake with a Legend that I was asked if I could make the hot cross scones vegan.

Vegan hot cross scones

 

It was such a simple switch. I swapped out the butter for dairy free spread and the buttermilk for almond milk with a squeeze of lemon to give it the acidity needed to help the rise.

They came out tasting delicious, warmly spiced, full of fruit and with exactly that same texture. I have come to realize how inclusive Vegan baking can be. I am tempted to build out a class just around Vegan baking now.

 

Vegan hot cross scones

Makes 8-10 Scones

Ingredients:
225g self-raising flour, plus extra
for dusting
75g dairy free spread (I used Flora)
40g light muscovado sugar
125g mixed dried fruits
½ tsp ground mixed spice
4 1/2 tbsp of your favorite dairy free milk (I used Alpro)
1/2 tbsp of lemon juice
A little dairy free milk to glaze
50g plain flour
2 tbsp caster sugar

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/ Fan 200°C/ Gas 7.
  2. Sift the self-raising flour into a large bowl and rub in the dairy free spread with your fingertips.
  3. Stir in the sugar, fruits and spice.
  4. In a jug, mix together the dairy free milk and lemon juice. Pour into the flour mixture and bring together to make a soft dough with your hands. Don’t worry if it seems sticky and a little wet.
  5. Dust a work surface with extra flour, then roll out the dough to no thinner than 2cm.
  6. Using a 4cm cutter, cut out the scones– try not to twist the cutter, as this makes the scones rise unevenly.
  7. Re-roll the off cuts and cut out more. You should get between 8-10 scones.
  8. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment.

For the crosses:

  1. Mix together the plain flour and 1-2 tablespoons of water and knead to make a smooth dough.
  2. Roll out, cut into thin strips and put a cross on top of each scone. Brush with non dairy milk, then bake for 15 minutes, until well risen and golden.

For the glaze:

  1. Dissolve the sugar in 2 tablespoons boiling water.
  2. Use to brush the tops of the scones as soon as they come out of the oven.

 

Cool slightly on a wire rack. Best eaten while warm but once cooled can be kept in an airtight tin for a few days.

 

Vegan Hot Cross Scones
 
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The ultimate Vegan / Dairy free "Hot Cross Scone" . A lovely warmly spiced , light scone , packed full of fruit and delicious eaten warm out of the oven . A great inclusive Easter bake that everyone can enjoy.
Author:
Serves: 8-10
Ingredients
  • Makes 8-10 Scones
  • Ingredients:
  • 225g self-raising flour, plus extra
  • for dusting
  • 75g dairy free spread (I used Flora)
  • 40g light muscovado sugar
  • 125g mixed dried fruits
  • ½ tsp ground mixed spice
  • 4½ tbsp of your favorite dairy free milk (I used Alpro)
  • ½ tbsp of lemon juice
  • A little dairy free milk to glaze
  • 50g plain flour
  • 2 tbsp caster sugar
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/ Fan 200°C/ Gas 7.
  2. Sift the self-raising flour into a large bowl and rub in the dairy free spread with your fingertips.
  3. Stir in the sugar, fruits and spice.
  4. In a jug, mix together the dairy free milk and lemon juice. Pour into the flour mixture and bring together to make a soft dough with your hands. Don't worry if it seems sticky and a little wet.
  5. Dust a work surface with extra flour, then roll out the dough to no thinner than 2cm.
  6. Using a 4cm cutter, cut out the scones– try not to twist the cutter, as this makes the scones rise unevenly.
  7. Re-roll the off cuts and cut out more. You should get between 8-10 scones.
  8. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment.
  9. For the crosses:
  10. Mix together the plain flour and 1-2 tablespoons of water and knead to make a smooth dough.
  11. Roll out, cut into thin strips and put a cross on top of each scone. Brush with non dairy milk, then bake for 15 minutes, until well risen and golden.
  12. For the glaze:
  13. Dissolve the sugar in 2 tablespoons boiling water.
  14. Use to brush the tops of the scones as soon as they come out of the oven.

 

1 Breads

Beer and Cheese Scones with Cheesy Beer Dip

I feel honoured to have been invited to the Stafford Cheese and Ale Festival this June to perform a couple of baking demos. I am always excited to attend a food festival as I love meeting the great artisan food producers who have stalls at the show. Also a festival that focuses on beer and cheese hits a sweet spot for me.

To be honest I always have a little trepidation in what what to bake for each specific festival. This one however was easy.The weekend before I received the call, I had been playing around with scones and also one of my lovely fellow bakers Tom had been making cheese scones that looked delicious on his Instagram feed.

Cheese Scone

So I decided on a cheese and beer scone. Now I have a variety of craft beer in the garage to play with but I needed an expert to steer me in the right direction. So with the wonders of Twitter, I sent a quick tweet to an exceptionally talented and very helpful beer legend, Sarah Warman (@sarahfwarman). Sarah pointed me in the direction of Brew Dogs Dead Pony Club or a Five Points Railway Porter as a perfect pairing to cooked cheese. Having a few bottles of Dead Pony in the cupboard I went for that, although I will also try them with the Porter another time.

To go with the scones, I thought nacho style cheese sauce with beer would make a perfect warm accompaniment, one that was fully of cheesy beeriness without the neon yellow look. It is super easy to make and so addictive.

Cheese Scone

Cheese and Beer Scones:

480g strong white bread flour
90g salted butter, cold and cubed
150g grated mature cheddar, reserve a little to sprinkle on the scones
15g baking powder
Large pinch of paprika
½ tsp English mustard powder
300ml milk
1 tbsp lemon juice
100ml beer, a pale ale or porter work well

Beer Cheese Dip:

30g butter
20g flour
60ml full fat milk
120ml beer, a pale ale or porter work well
225g grated cheddar cheese
Splash of Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp English mustard powder
salt & black pepper to taste

METHOD

Scones:
Preheat the oven to 220c/200c fan/Gas 7.
Put the flour, baking powder, paprika and mustard powder in a bowl and mix together.
Rub the butter into it until it looks like fine breadcrumbs. Then add the cheese (reserve a little to sprinkle on top later) and mix together with your hands.
Add the lemon juice to the milk and add along with the beer to the dry ingredients.
Mix with a spoon until it just comes together and tip out onto a well floured work surface.
The dough will be wet and sticky. Use floured hands and lightly knead the dough until you have a smooth ball. Do not worry if it is sticky – keep the worktop floured.
Roll to about 3cm thick and cut out with a floured 5cm round cutter.
Place onto a baking sheet lined with parchment and bake for 15 mins.

Beer Cheese Dip:
In a medium nonstick pan, melt the butter, then whisk in the flour, paprika and mustard powder all at once and cook for a couple of minutes whilst whisking.
Slowly pour in the milk, followed by the beer and a splash of Worcestershire sauce, whisking constantly to prevent any lumps.
Stir in the cheese until just melted, then remove from heat and add salt and pepper to taste.

Best served warm with the warm scones. Also goes with well pretzels.

 

 

Beer and Cheese Scones with Cheesy Beer dip
 
Save Print
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • Cheese and Beer Scones:
  • 480g strong white bread flour
  • 90g salted butter, cold and cubed
  • 150g grated mature cheddar, reserve a little to sprinkle on the scones
  • 15g baking powder
  • Large pinch of paprika
  • ½ tsp English mustard powder
  • 300ml milk
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 100ml beer, a pale ale or porter work well
  • Beer Cheese Dip:
  • 30g butter
  • 20g flour
  • 60ml full fat milk
  • 120ml beer, a pale ale or porter work well
  • 225g grated cheddar cheese
  • Splash of Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • ½ tsp English mustard powder
  • salt & black pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Scones:
  2. Preheat the oven to 220c/200c fan/Gas 7.
  3. Put the flour, baking powder, paprika and mustard powder in a bowl and mix together.
  4. Rub the butter into it until it looks like fine breadcrumbs. Then add the cheese (reserve a little to sprinkle on top later) and mix together with your hands.
  5. Add the lemon juice to the milk and add along with the beer to the dry ingredients.
  6. Mix with a spoon until it just comes together and tip out onto a well floured work surface.
  7. The dough will be wet and sticky. Use floured hands and lightly knead the dough until you have a smooth ball. Do not worry if it is sticky – keep the worktop floured.
  8. Roll to about 3cm thick and cut out with a floured 5cm round cutter.
  9. Place onto a baking sheet lined with parchment and bake for 15 mins.
  10. Beer Cheese Dip:
  11. In a medium nonstick pan, melt the butter, then whisk in the flour, paprika and mustard powder all at once and cook for a couple of minutes whilst whisking.
  12. Slowly pour in the milk, followed by the beer and a splash of Worcestershire sauce, whisking constantly to prevent any lumps.
  13. Stir in the cheese until just melted, then remove from heat and add salt and pepper to taste.
  14. Best served warm with the warm scones. Also goes with well pretzels.