Scones + lemon zest + poppy seeds = spring baking perfection.
Our usual string of dreary winter days has been peppered with the odd luxuriously warm and sunny day. Thank goodness because I was starting to wonder if spring still existed! These are the days where you can’t help but open the windows to let in a little sun and a breeze.
We were treated to one of those lovely days last week. Ugh, it was glorious. I took it as an opportunity to slow down a little and get reacquainted with my first food love: baking.
The day was just perfect. My kitchen was completely clean (not normal) and newly rearranged. I put on some happy music before taking my time finding the perfect scone recipe to adapt and veganize. I went slowly adapting the ingredients and amounts, making sure to account for moisture, fat content, etc., while simply enjoying the task at hand. It’s not often that a day can feel so perfect and I can feel properly in the moment. It was so simple, so rejuvenating, and just plain perfection. Oh, and the smell of fresh air, lemon zest, and fresh baking is a delightful combination.
The scones turned out just right on the first try. Not-too-sweet, perfectly lemony, light, and drizzled in a bright, sweet lemon zest glaze. These are exactly what you need to bake on a beautiful nearly-spring day. They’re lovely with a mug of hot tea, and if you so desire, a touch of vegan butter and your favourite jam – blueberry or raspberry is my vote 
Enjoy!
Today’s recipe is brought to you courtesy of Silk! I’m thrilled to tell you that we’ll be collaborating with Silk to provide delicious dairy-free recipes throughout 2016. Silk has been my go-to brand for non-dairy milk for ages and I couldn’t be more excited for this partnership. Today’s recipe features Silk’s Unsweetened Organic Soymilk, my go-to for baking! Thanks to its high protein content (7g per cup!) it easily replaces dairy milk in most recipes. Silk’s Soymilk also happens to be non-GMO, 100% cholesterol free, low in saturated fat, high in calcium, and free of artificial colors and flavours!
This post is sponsored by Silk. We love Silk for providing a delicious variety of non-dairy plant milks, from your typical soy and almond milks to cashew, coconut, and non-dairy milk blends! All opinions and text are my own.
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- 1¾ cups unbleached all purpose flour
- 1½ tbsp granulated sugar
- ½ tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp poppy seeds
- zest of 1 lemon (finely chopped)
- ¼ cup coconut oil (chilled)
- ¾ cup + 1 tbsp Silk Unsweetened Organic Soymilk
- 1 tbsp coconut oil (melted)
- 2 tbsp Silk Unsweetened Organic Soymilk (warm)
- 10 ml lemon juice
- ¾ cup icing sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Combine all dry ingredients, including poppy seeds and lemon zest.
- Add the chilled coconut oil to the dry ingredients. Use your hands to cut the coconut oil into the dry ingredients. Continue working the coconut oil into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. (I find it helpful to chill my hands by rinsing them under very cold water for a minute or so. This will help you break up the coconut oil without melting it.)
- Add the soy milk and use a fork to stir the ingredients. Do NOT overmix. As soon as the mixture is just combined, turn it onto a floured kitchen counter. Knead about 8-12 times before rolling out on a well-floured counter. The dough should be about 1" thick. Cut into rustic triangles (about the size of a deck of cards.)
- Transfer to a parchment paper lined baking sheet (leaving at least ½" between scones) and bake for 10 minutes. They should be golden brown.
- Cool before glazing.
- Combine the warm soy milk, coconut oil, lemon juice, icing sugar, and lemon zest. Whisk until combined. Add more soy milk for a thinner glaze (good for dunking the entire scone), add more icing sugar for a thicker glaze (great for drizzling). Once the scones are cooled, drizzle or dunk in glaze. Enjoy!
