Orange Walnut Whole Wheat Scones

Wouldn't you just love to hear that someday? "Your breakfast awaits."  Sure, "Come and get it!" has a certain homestyle appeal, and "Just eat something, the bus is coming!" carries a certain energy, but "Your breakfast awaits" conjures up a whole new set of images, such as...

Clean "real" dishware, no paper or plastic to be seen.  Everyone showered and dressed in real clothes with no holes, hair combed, teeth brushed. "Your breakfast awaits" implies that someone else has gotten up early and cracked the eggs, baked the Danish, juiced the oranges (yes, fresh juice is a must for this type of event) and chilled the champagne; and this feast is artfully arranged on china, crystal, and silver in the dining room.

If someone has gotten up to make this lovely breakfast, I'm sure they're also nice enough to have done all the dishes, too. They've fed the doggies and given Charlieman the poodle his morning snuggle. A load of fresh towels is folded by the sparkling clean shower, the windows gleam, and the kitchen floor shines.

Not only that, but my credit cards have been paid off,  my bank account is full, my Disney vacation is booked including first-class airfare and a suite at the Polynesian, the gas tank is full, the oil tank is too...

Okay, okay, *maybe* I'm getting a little carried away now but there really is a special feeling that goes along with someone making you a delicious breakfast to start your day off right. It makes you feel loved and cared for, and cherished. Next time you're whipping up morning treats for your special people, think about making these Orange Walnut Whole Wheat Scones.  Deeply satisfying with a mild sweetness to the scone, the crunch of toasted nuts, and the tang of candied orange peel, these scones are terrific; and adding our exclusive Fiori di Sicilia flavoring to the dough brings these humble-bumble scones to new heights.

Fiori di Sicilia is a unique flavoring with tones of citrus and vanilla. It has a heavenly scent that calms my spirits and invigorates me at the same time. I love to use it in glazes. It adds an extra-special flavor to otherwise "pretty good" baked goods and makes them great. As a baker on the King Arthur's  bakers' hotline, I hear from folks quite often who purchase the flavor because it sounds so terrific. But then they're a bit shy about knowing where to use it. I always recommend the glaze from this recipe as a jumping off point. It really gives you the full flavor of the Fiori, and sets that flavor in your mind so that in the future you can pair it with other flavors that sound good to you.  Another bonus is that a little goes a long way and it lasts indefinitely in your fridge. Treat yourself to a bottle and join the fans of Fiori.

I know, here I am babbling away and you're still waiting for breakfast. I'll control myself and we can dive in to Orange Walnut Whole Wheat Scones.

Spread the nuts on a dry parchment lined baking sheet and place in the hot oven for about 5-8 minutes, until lightly toasted and fragrant. Do keep a close eye on the nuts as they can easily scorch. Remove from the oven and cool slightly, about 5 minutes.

Place the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl and whisk well to combine. During humid weather, your baking powder or baking soda may clump up. Just pinch any lumps between your fingers to break them up.

Add the toasted nuts and candied orange peel to the dry ingredients and toss well to coat. These scones are a bit wetter than other recipes and no kneading is done. Adding the nuts/peel now will save over-mixing later.

Cut the cold butter into thin slices or small pieces. Don't get too fussy here, you just don't want big chunks. Toss the butter in the dry mix.

Working quickly to keep the butter cold, press the butter into thin "leaves". These leaves will keep your scones flaky and tender during baking. By coating the fat in flour, you'll have nice flakes of scone after the butter melts during baking.

And now for the star of our show, Fiori di Sicilia, “flowers of Sicily.”  I can't tell you enough how great this stuff is, but I'll try. Fiori is so fragrant and so flavorful, just the smallest amount can really change a recipe, making it a real show stopper.

Orange and citrus scents are proven mood lifters. The scent of Fiori really makes you close your eyes and relax, dreaming of fresh citrus groves, warm breezes, and the comfort of vanilla. My 15-year-old daughter Shannon likes to use just a drop for perfume, and it's perfect for a young girl. It isn't heavy or cloying; it's light, fragrant, and  calming. No wonder this exclusive item has been a KAF best-seller for years.

Blend the buttermilk, egg, vanilla and Fiori in a measuring cup, and add all at once to the dry mix.

Quickly and lightly blend together to form a soft, quite wet dough. PLEASE don't add more flour, even though the batter looks wet.

Instead, cover the dough with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 15 minutes. This rest will allow the whole wheat flour to absorb some more of the liquid without making the dough dry from additional flour. This will also allow the butter to firm up again, ensuring a flaky scone. You can leave the dough chilling for up to 1 hour before baking.

There, nice and cold. If you compare the two photos, you can see that the dough isn't nearly as wet after its rest.

Use a 1/4 cup measure or a muffin scoop to drop the scones onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Leave at least 2” between scones for expansion. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven 16-18 minutes until lightly browned.  Remove from the oven and set the tray on a rack to cool slightly.

While the scones are cooling, let's whip up a bit of glaze. In a small bowl combine confectioners' sugar and heavy cream (or milk).

Fiori di Sicilia is a fantastic flavor, but it is also quite potent. To make sure you add only a couple of drops to the glaze, pour just a bit of Fiori into a small measuring spoon and use that to add one drop at a time to the glaze.

You can see from the yellow dots that I only added 2 drops to the glaze.

Mix the glaze until smooth and lump-free. Add additional cream if need to achieve a spreadable consistency.

OH yeah, looky there! Yes, you can eat the scones naked, or the naked scones I should say, but the glaze really adds a bright punch of flavor.

Spread or pour the glaze over the slightly warm scones. Having drizzles down the sides to lick up with a finger is essential in my book.

By now, the kitchen smells like a fresh orange grove and your tummy will be rumblin'. Grab your tea and a warm scone and start planning your day as the citrus breezes surround you. Life is good.

Please bake, rate and review our recipe for Orange Walnut Whole Wheat Scones.