Blackberry Oat Scones
These are sensational, a recipe from our local paper, served by one of the restaurants in town.  Every year I pick blackberries and freeze them for cooking during the rest of the year.  Or you can buy them in your grocery freezer section.

makes 12 big ones

Dough:
3 cups thick rolled oats (if you can't get the tick cut oats, substitute regular rolled oats but not quick oats)
3 1/2 cups unbleached flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
8 oz. softened butter
2 large eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla
approx. 5 oz buttermilk

Middle:
8 oz. frozen blackberries (keep them frozen)

Top:
1/2 cup thick rolled oats
1 egg, beaten

Glaze:
3 Tbsp honey
3 Tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In bowl of a mixer, add all dry ingredients for dough and butter.  Using paddle attachment, blend on low speed until mixture resembles coarse corn meal.  Add eggs and vanilla and mix briefly to incorporate.  Add half the buttermilk.  Add remaining buttermilk, a little at a time, making sure dough does not get too wet.  (It shouldn't be like cake batter.)  It's okay to add a little more or less buttermilk to get texture right.

Divide dough in half and roll or press each half into rounds about 1/2" thick.  Sprinkle the frozen berries over one of the rounds, making sure to distribute evenly.  Sandwich the rounds and press together firmly.  Brush top with egg, then sprinkle on the rolled oats.  Let rest 5 minutes, then cut into 12 equal segments.

Place on baking sheet lined with parchment of Silpat.  Bake 20-25 minutes, until scones are golden brown and spring back lightly when touched.  Remove from oven, then make the glaze.  Drizzle glaze over scones while they're hot.

Serve warm.  Yum!

Unbaked scones may be wrapped and frozen for up to a month.  Thaw frozen scones before baking.  I freeze baked scones and thaw and rewarm in the microwave.

July 2008