Kumquat Poppy Seed Scones

by cakeduchess on February 3, 2012 · 29 comments

I’m all about breakfast. I’m all about getting that first meal of the day in and there is no way I will skip it. I shake my head in wonderment when I hear someone say they didn’t eat until lunch.

I just don’t get how anyone could go for that many hours without a little something to keep them going through the morning. But they say they had coffee. Coffee? Alone? That’s it?!? I’m a huge grump without breakfast. I can’t do a breakfast smoothie. I’ve tried. Explain to me how skipping breakfast works?;)

Because I really dig breakfast. I really do! I will make a pancake or waffle batter the night before just to have it ready for breakfast the next day. So when I roll out of bed at 6 AM, it seems a little more pleasant. I have something to look forward to.

Like a scone. That makes 6 AM wake-ups a little more bearable. Well, I’m not that ambitious during the week. Scones are more a Sunday morning treat. It seems to be a nice variation from our waffles.

There were these gorgeous kumquats just waiting to be baked with. Oh! And while I was putting the post together I asked Fabrizio what he thought of the photo. He said he knows what it is because he ate them for breakfast but, “non si capisce cose sono”. Translated, “it’s hard to get what they are”. So I specified that they are Breakfast Scones in case you were wondering.;)

Thinking about my favorite lemon-poppy seed cake that I haven’t even made yet for all of you…I thought why not kumquat and poppy seed scones. It just seemed right.

Around Christmas time, I made these vegan Clementine Cranberry Scones. They were delish! This time I was bad with my scones. I used organic heavy whipping cream and organic unsalted butter (Kerrygold). Flaky and rich…I honestly had to peel myself away from the baking sheet so I wouldn’t finish them off. Love these little scones!

Kumquat Poppy Seed Scones

Ingredients:

½ cup organic heavy whipping cream (or whatever milk or non-dairy milk you like)
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt

2 Tablespoons poppy seeds
1/2 cup kumquat
zest of one lemon
½ stick (2 ounces) unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
3 Tbs sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Chop the kumquats into very small pieces and set aside. Be sure to remove the seeds and the inner part that could be bitter (this batch of kumquats I found was super sweet!). Reserve a few slices to add on top of the scones before baking. In a small bowl, whisk together the cream and the egg and then set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, lemon zest, and salt and poppy seeds. Stir in the kumquat pieces.

Rub the butter into the flour mixture, working until you have no lumps bigger than a pea. Add the sugar and toss to mix. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Bring dough together gently with a wooden spoon.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured counter and knead it no more than 12 times. [Apparently, twelve is the magic number here; surpass it at your own risk.] Pat dough into a round approximately 1-inch thick, and cut into 8 wedges. (I used a round biscuit cutter this time). Add on the reserved kumquat slices. Place on an ungreased baking sheet or a Silpat.

Place on an ungreased baking sheet or a Silpat. Using a pastry brush, brush milk onto the wedges.
Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes, or until golden, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Good luck in waiting for them to cool. It never happens over here. They also are very good with some really good jam. Just a suggestion. Do as you please.

Are you a breakfast person like me?