These look just perfect! Just made them...to a point. Due to time, I have frozen them before baking...cut them, but left basically in the 'block', and froze to bake in a couple days. Fingers crossed!
Sounds great, Jane! Scones work well like that—I have often chilled, cut to portion, and then frozen. You may find that you need to adjust the moisture slightly upwards, or you may find them to be perfect. Enjoy!
Okay Martin, your sign-off really caught me up short.... choked up, like. I hope (and am certain) that your kids know they won the parent lottery. Back to oats: I'm so primed for these. I've been starting my days with stodgy porridge made in an old cast iron pot ... the best batches, I let get crusty and toasty on the bottom, kinda like an oat tahdig but I mix in all the toasty bits. Turbinado or maple syrup ... dark, nice. Your recipe lands like that in scone form.
"And" is such an unsung hero in our lexicon, isn't it. The mark of sanity. It's just food. And toasted oats give comfort. I load mine w/ chia seeds and goji berries, cinnamon. Now of course I'm thinking of a savory riff.... (appreciation mutual as you well know)
I have a panoply of 3 favorite scone recipes. Flaky-crispy biscuity, all. I now have 4. I've made these 2x so far. (English) husband proclaimed, unbidden: "Best scone I've had in my life!" (I said "I know. It's Martin's." - "Who?" "Lemon pie." "ahh") Just dropped off for my neighbor who's been with her husband in hospital way down in Stanford after a heart attack, lovely guy, feeling for them. "Best scones ever!" she just texted. Baking's rarely ever just baking. Thanks for reminding us of that with every one of your recipe-stories. (Bonus: I recommend toasting extra oats; they make the BEST porridge, no pot scrubbing needed.)
I've been surfing this kind comment like some wave at the Santa Cruz pier — it's carried me all week. And thanks also for the reminder that all of this is more than it seems.
Working on a rye bialy that's going up on Tuesday and have been eating so many of them. Excited to see what you think of that. I appreciate you, Laurie!
aww. That's so lovely! I'm like the scone factory over here, batch #3 yesterday. Dark brown sugar works a treat, next time I may brown/chill the butter, double down on those toasty notes. & I'll be very ready for a rye bialy! : )
This is a really beautiful recipe. I made it the first day you posted it and the scones were SO good that first day, but we loved that they stayed good all week. I assume because of the sourdough starter in them? This is our first fall without any kids at home and so anything I bake seems to go bad before we can finish eating it. Not these, every single scone was delightful, usually with butter and a bit of orange marmalade. We're having our first of four rainy days here in California and so I figured I'd make another batch tonight. Recipe worked flawlessly again. The other thing I love is that if I don't feel like putting in the time and focus to make sourdough bread, a recipe like this really makes me feel good about maintaining my starter (170 grams good!). Wish I had more recipes like this on repeat. Thank you for this recipe!
These were great, though they did break my spatula as I did the final mix (though that was old and probably going anyways). My son said “Mom, these are the best scones!” I did a mix of raisins and cranberries. So good!
These were so so good! Thank you for writing up the recipe. I love scones that are not overly sweet and my son appreciated the butter layers and plenty of currants.
I was just thinking about this and I don’t see why not — I’ve done it with other scones. The only thing is that as the scone sits the oats and currants will continue to hydrate, pulling dough moisture. My suggestion would be to try the overnight chill (fridge is fine) but make sure they are wrapped with a moisture-proof barrier. If you’re happy with the results, great. If they feel slightly dry, consider adding a little moisture to the oats before incorporation.
Once I made the dough I had to bake half because I couldn’t wait. They were tender, moist on the inside with a crunching exterior. Flavor was wonderful.
I’ll bake the rest in the morning. Very curious to compare the difference between to 2 bakes.
So sweet, Doreen! Just subscribe and enjoy the free issues. That “support” click-through is something from Substack. If I ever flip any sort of paywall switch we can sort it out. Your sentiment is appreciated!
Thank you! I so much enjoy your writing - it feels so comfortable and authentic - and the glimpses into your your home and family life. It takes time and desire to connect to sit down and write the recipes let alone the thoughts and feelings, so thank you!
And the recipes!! I love them all. They are regular bakes in my schedule, I love learning from you.
My dear husband gave me your book for my birthday, and I'm enjoying it so much. Thanks for writing it!
If you ever have the time (ha!) could you please talk a little more about currants? I've yet to really figure out how the fruits I pick off the many types of currant bushes I've planted translate into the currants called for in recipes. I use dried fruit fairly interchangeably, but I'd love to know what recipe writers are really asking for. Are they ever asking for real currants?
What a great question, Kathleen. And thanks for your kindness, regarding the book. I so appreciate it!
The currants that most folks know are *Zante* currants. They are actually small grapes. I wish that the real currants were more widely available, they are certainly a treasure (when the birds leave some!). If you have ample dried currants, I'd definitely recommend trying them in the scones. Or just eating them, or pressing the juice, adding a little honey to fortify, and stir into sparkling water in the summer as an aperitif. They are so, so good!
Heh, we eat them by the handful outside, and then we also bring lots in to make syrup, some of which is indeed added to carbonated water, or gin, or whiskey, or vodka, or Prosecco. Hmm. Is it Friday yet?
We also make preserves, sweet and savory bakes, mead, etc. It's been difficult to find new recipes to try that actually use Ribes instead of Vitis, sorbets being an exception, but I know they must be out there.
She’s in the Northwest, we’re in the Southeast. So many miles between us, but in our memories she is still the rosy cheeked little girl with pink ribbons in her hair, not the beautiful grown woman she is making her way in the world. Sigh…
I started out making a levain the previous night & got started on these first thing in the morning. I made a couple of missteps along the way, including mixing the wet ingredients directly into the dry without first blending them, & then I forgot to incorporate the raisin/craisin mixture before adding the wet ingredients Ah well, baking is a journey, not a destination, eh? It all came together. I also only had granular sugar on hand, so no sugary crunch on the top of the scones.
Flavor wise, these are fantastic! Even my finicky wife with her hyper-sensitive taste buds said “These taste different. I don’t mean that in a negative way, they’re just not your usual scones. More bread-like.” Yes! Success! And high praise from someone who rarely compliments the meals I prepare for her. I like that these are flavor rich & not cloyingly sweet like some of the scone treats I bake on occasion, and they definitely have a subtle bread flavor. Well done Martin!
These were a pleasure to make and remind me a bit of Irish soda bread. I used raisins because I had them on hand but may experiment with other add ins. So delicious!
I think Caroline and I could make these…
I think you could handle these solo, too! 💛💛💛
She would have to provide the starter- but all the rest I think I could do!
Yup! You just need a tiny amount. 💛💛💛
These look just perfect! Just made them...to a point. Due to time, I have frozen them before baking...cut them, but left basically in the 'block', and froze to bake in a couple days. Fingers crossed!
Sounds great, Jane! Scones work well like that—I have often chilled, cut to portion, and then frozen. You may find that you need to adjust the moisture slightly upwards, or you may find them to be perfect. Enjoy!
Okay Martin, your sign-off really caught me up short.... choked up, like. I hope (and am certain) that your kids know they won the parent lottery. Back to oats: I'm so primed for these. I've been starting my days with stodgy porridge made in an old cast iron pot ... the best batches, I let get crusty and toasty on the bottom, kinda like an oat tahdig but I mix in all the toasty bits. Turbinado or maple syrup ... dark, nice. Your recipe lands like that in scone form.
OK, dang. I'm stealing those oats. OAT TAHDIG. Wow. And all the *savory oats* folks would probably go weak for that treatment, too.
I miss them. It's weird to have these holes in the house. And they will come back. And it's an existential crisis. And we're ok.
I appreciate you, Laurie.
"And" is such an unsung hero in our lexicon, isn't it. The mark of sanity. It's just food. And toasted oats give comfort. I load mine w/ chia seeds and goji berries, cinnamon. Now of course I'm thinking of a savory riff.... (appreciation mutual as you well know)
And my goal is to start as many sentences as possible it. And you're right. : ))
I have a panoply of 3 favorite scone recipes. Flaky-crispy biscuity, all. I now have 4. I've made these 2x so far. (English) husband proclaimed, unbidden: "Best scone I've had in my life!" (I said "I know. It's Martin's." - "Who?" "Lemon pie." "ahh") Just dropped off for my neighbor who's been with her husband in hospital way down in Stanford after a heart attack, lovely guy, feeling for them. "Best scones ever!" she just texted. Baking's rarely ever just baking. Thanks for reminding us of that with every one of your recipe-stories. (Bonus: I recommend toasting extra oats; they make the BEST porridge, no pot scrubbing needed.)
I've been surfing this kind comment like some wave at the Santa Cruz pier — it's carried me all week. And thanks also for the reminder that all of this is more than it seems.
Working on a rye bialy that's going up on Tuesday and have been eating so many of them. Excited to see what you think of that. I appreciate you, Laurie!
aww. That's so lovely! I'm like the scone factory over here, batch #3 yesterday. Dark brown sugar works a treat, next time I may brown/chill the butter, double down on those toasty notes. & I'll be very ready for a rye bialy! : )
Thanks Martin! My Obie husband and I look forward to eating them. Love the book!!
❤️❤️❤️
Several great things about your note, Jane. 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼 I appreciate you!
This is a really beautiful recipe. I made it the first day you posted it and the scones were SO good that first day, but we loved that they stayed good all week. I assume because of the sourdough starter in them? This is our first fall without any kids at home and so anything I bake seems to go bad before we can finish eating it. Not these, every single scone was delightful, usually with butter and a bit of orange marmalade. We're having our first of four rainy days here in California and so I figured I'd make another batch tonight. Recipe worked flawlessly again. The other thing I love is that if I don't feel like putting in the time and focus to make sourdough bread, a recipe like this really makes me feel good about maintaining my starter (170 grams good!). Wish I had more recipes like this on repeat. Thank you for this recipe!
This is SO SWEET.
Thanks so much for sharing. When the rain finally hits and golden goes to green -- I used to love that time when I lived in the Bay Area.
I hope that the transition is bringing some time to bake and, that it fills the gaps with something to do while adjusting to a quiet house.
More sourdough recipes coming along soon.
I appreciate you,
Martin
These were great, though they did break my spatula as I did the final mix (though that was old and probably going anyways). My son said “Mom, these are the best scones!” I did a mix of raisins and cranberries. So good!
Glad to hear this! Sorry about the spatula!
These were so so good! Thank you for writing up the recipe. I love scones that are not overly sweet and my son appreciated the butter layers and plenty of currants.
So glad to hear this, Anjali. I am with you, no dessert scones. 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
I appreciate you!
Martin
I have been on the hunt for yummy sourdough scone recipes and this ticks every box for me! Your recipes are always spot on amazing, Martin!
Do you think chilling overnight and baking in the morning would work with the dough? Or should I stick to the 15 min?
I was just thinking about this and I don’t see why not — I’ve done it with other scones. The only thing is that as the scone sits the oats and currants will continue to hydrate, pulling dough moisture. My suggestion would be to try the overnight chill (fridge is fine) but make sure they are wrapped with a moisture-proof barrier. If you’re happy with the results, great. If they feel slightly dry, consider adding a little moisture to the oats before incorporation.
Have fun, Connie. Great to hear from you!
Martin
Great! I’ll give it a try. I may hydrate the currents also.
Yes! In an early iteration of the recipe I soaked them in whiskey. Tea (earl grey!?), or just water would work. Maybe 15g or so. Strain before use.
The best scone I have ever had, Martin!
Once I made the dough I had to bake half because I couldn’t wait. They were tender, moist on the inside with a crunching exterior. Flavor was wonderful.
I’ll bake the rest in the morning. Very curious to compare the difference between to 2 bakes.
SO glad. 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
Appreciate this, Conni.
Earl grey tea sounds perfect! Thanks for the tips and help.
I would like to support u but only use PayPal. Is this something you would consider?
So sweet, Doreen! Just subscribe and enjoy the free issues. That “support” click-through is something from Substack. If I ever flip any sort of paywall switch we can sort it out. Your sentiment is appreciated!
M
Thank you! I so much enjoy your writing - it feels so comfortable and authentic - and the glimpses into your your home and family life. It takes time and desire to connect to sit down and write the recipes let alone the thoughts and feelings, so thank you!
And the recipes!! I love them all. They are regular bakes in my schedule, I love learning from you.
So kind, Cheri. Your appreciation is great payment for the effort. Thank you!
M
My dear husband gave me your book for my birthday, and I'm enjoying it so much. Thanks for writing it!
If you ever have the time (ha!) could you please talk a little more about currants? I've yet to really figure out how the fruits I pick off the many types of currant bushes I've planted translate into the currants called for in recipes. I use dried fruit fairly interchangeably, but I'd love to know what recipe writers are really asking for. Are they ever asking for real currants?
What a great question, Kathleen. And thanks for your kindness, regarding the book. I so appreciate it!
The currants that most folks know are *Zante* currants. They are actually small grapes. I wish that the real currants were more widely available, they are certainly a treasure (when the birds leave some!). If you have ample dried currants, I'd definitely recommend trying them in the scones. Or just eating them, or pressing the juice, adding a little honey to fortify, and stir into sparkling water in the summer as an aperitif. They are so, so good!
Thanks for reading!
M
Heh, we eat them by the handful outside, and then we also bring lots in to make syrup, some of which is indeed added to carbonated water, or gin, or whiskey, or vodka, or Prosecco. Hmm. Is it Friday yet?
We also make preserves, sweet and savory bakes, mead, etc. It's been difficult to find new recipes to try that actually use Ribes instead of Vitis, sorbets being an exception, but I know they must be out there.
Hi Martin, this recipe looks amazing. Question: why baking powder/soda? Isn’t the starter enough? Thank you!
She’s in the Northwest, we’re in the Southeast. So many miles between us, but in our memories she is still the rosy cheeked little girl with pink ribbons in her hair, not the beautiful grown woman she is making her way in the world. Sigh…
I started out making a levain the previous night & got started on these first thing in the morning. I made a couple of missteps along the way, including mixing the wet ingredients directly into the dry without first blending them, & then I forgot to incorporate the raisin/craisin mixture before adding the wet ingredients Ah well, baking is a journey, not a destination, eh? It all came together. I also only had granular sugar on hand, so no sugary crunch on the top of the scones.
Flavor wise, these are fantastic! Even my finicky wife with her hyper-sensitive taste buds said “These taste different. I don’t mean that in a negative way, they’re just not your usual scones. More bread-like.” Yes! Success! And high praise from someone who rarely compliments the meals I prepare for her. I like that these are flavor rich & not cloyingly sweet like some of the scone treats I bake on occasion, and they definitely have a subtle bread flavor. Well done Martin!
These were a pleasure to make and remind me a bit of Irish soda bread. I used raisins because I had them on hand but may experiment with other add ins. So delicious!
Also I very much relate. My oldest daughter is away at college in NH. I love visiting but part of my heart is always there!