#RavsRecipes: Salted Chocolate Almond Scones. Amen.
This week, I feel like I'm climbing mountains.
Okay, I'm driving up them. But still.
Visiting my family in the Sierra Nevada foothills is one of the great pleasures of my life. I get to work, cook, and play while my amazing folks keep an eye on my kid. My inspiration and productivity skyrocket when I'm able to step away from my version of the daily grind and get a little refocused and centered. The food I make tastes a little better, and I move a little easier without a three-year-old constantly in tow.
I've been on a baking streak since we've been here (hello, central air conditioning!) and everyone is benefiting. Fresh treats are found in abundance because I have the resources to devote to the discipline of baking. It's typically hard to stay focused on exact measurements and processes when you're constantly being interrupted by requests for snacks and Daniel Tiger and bids for attention in the form of direct defiance.
I'm improvising a bit on some old recipes and using my parents as taste testers. They approve of this job almost as much as my kid approves of the No Real Rules policy at Grammy and PopPop's house.
These little guys were meant to be cookies, but I think they are more like a scone. A little crusty on the outside and soft on the inside. With a tiny touch of sweetness, these are perfect for breakfast or a midnight snack. You decide. They are loaded with protein, too, so it's a total bonus if you like that sort of thing.
Ingredients:
1 16 oz jar crunchy almond butter (I prefer raw from Trader Joe's)
2 large eggs
1 bar chocolate of your choice, chopped
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher or flaked sea salt
Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, combine almond butter, eggs, vanilla extract, and maple syrup. Blend well.
Next, add baking soda and baking powder. Stir super well. The mixture will start to get sticky and that's okay. Keep going. Once it's all sticky and well blended, thoughtfully add the chocolate. Contemplate your life. Own your choices. Dark chocolate is edgy, but milk chocolate is always playful.
Once you've thoughtfully stirred everything together, scoop dough into golf ball-sized pieces and place on parchment paper. These won't spread out too much, so it's okay to crowd them a bit. JUST A LITTLE BIT, THOUGH. Scones are like introverts: they need their space.
Sprinkle a little salt on top of each one, and bake at 325 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven when they lighten in color and are just a little bit hard on top. Thoughtfully contemplate what type of complimentary beverage you will drink while you nom the hell out of your perfect protein scones.
