Chef Peter’s Scone Secrets

A modestly-sized scone, like the ones I make, hold advantages over the oversized scones you find at many bakeries and coffeeshops. A smaller scone balances a higher ratio of browned, toasty edges to soft inner crumb.

Our scones are meant to highlight how grains taste. Here is where whole grain flours shine. Regular all-purpose flour is not only blander, but may develop a lot of gluten when mixed – anathema to a soft, fluffy pastry.  Gluten is great for pizza and necessary for some laminated doughs, but for rich, sweet pastries like scones, it can get in the way.

We avoid using refined sugars and flours in our baked goods, and scones are no exception. Local honey (shout out  to Oak Barrel in Berkeley) adds complex, mellow sweetness.

Scones are nothing without delicious butter. We mix fresh, cold local butter from Berkeley's Cheese Board Collective into our dough, which bakes up in buttery, striated layers. 

This Easter Weekend, I'll be baking up three flavors of scones. Chocolate cherry and lemon poppyseed are classic crowdpleasers. Sweet potato sage is a house special we brush with a glaze of coconut sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla I make in-house. That's something to wake up to on Easter Sunday!