Baker Without Borders

These delicious breakfast pastries are a nod to two different – yet related – baking traditions: British scones and Southern biscuits.

Scones vs Southern Biscuits

Both are round, made with barely sweetened dough, and have origins in the UK. (Unlike the British variety, American-style scones are loaded with sugar and cut into wedges.) 

As usual, I couldn’t resist adding a unique twist. Fresh Georgia peaches roasted in a cinnamon-maple syrup sauce add bursts of sweetness to an otherwise unsweet dough.

Extra tangy, from kefir and sourdough starter

I made the scones extra tangy with kefir, a drinkable yogurt slightly thicker than buttermilk, and sourdough discard, which refers to unfed sourdough starter removed during the feeding process.

However, the scones are likely just as delicious with “fed” sourdough starter. 

Roasted Peach Sourdough Scones

2 cups (150 g) flour

1/4 cup (50 g) sourdough discard (unfed starter) 

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt, plus extra for sprinkling on peaches 

2 tbsp (30 g) granulated sugar 

1/4 cup (50 g) coconut oil

2/3 cup (165 g) kefir or buttermilk (I used goat milk kefir) 

2 peaches, cut in half 

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp maple syrup 

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 tsp cinnamon 

Note: I adapted the scone recipe from Charlotte’s Lively Kitchen and the roasted peach recipe from Well Plated

1. Prepare the roasted peaches: preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9 x 9 inch baking pan with oil. Place the peach halves cut-side up in the pan. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Pour over the center of the peaches, letting the sauce run down the sides. Bake for about 30 minutes, until soft and thoroughly cooked. Set aside until fully cooled, and then cut into chunks. 
2. When ready to prepare the scones, preheat oven to 425 degrees F / 220 degrees C, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour and coconut oil; rub in the coconut oil with your fingers until a crumbly texture forms. Add sugar, baking powder, and salt. Fold in kefir, sourdough starter, and roasted peaches until a soft dough forms; be careful not to over-mix. Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface, and shape by hand into a 1 1/2-inch-thick disc. Cut out scones with a round cookie cutter, and place on baking sheet; I prepared 8 scones, but yield may vary depending on the size of the cookie cutter.
4. Bake for 12-15 minutes. The scones should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Store leftovers at room temperature in an airtight container.