A Retreat

There is really nothing better than the sounds and smells of baking on a chilly Saturday morning. Sipping hot tea, gazing out the window at fragrant pine trees and a sprinkling of snow, preparing a healthy breakfast spread... This is pure bliss.

Nothing comes close to a few days with limited phone service or internet access in its ability to bring me back down to Earth and remind me of the simple pleasures in life. It is one of the only times when I feel truly and completely relaxed, able to savor my morning meal and linger around in my pajamas for as long as I please.

On Friday, we packed our bags and loaded the cooler for a weekend getaway to Lake Tahoe. Along with plenty of socks and sweaters and scarves, I brought with me the ingredients to make Meyer Lemon and Fig Scones. It wasn’t until our 11:30 p.m. arrival that I realized I had forgotten the butter in my freezer at home-- so, other than a quick trip down the hill to the grocery store at 8 a.m., my Saturday morning was perfect.

These scones are very unique. I used spelt flour, which is lower in gluten and high in protein and fiber. I also added some toasted almond meal for more flavor and texture. Goat milk yogurt lends itself wonderfully as a fat, and as we’ve seen before, I am a huge fan of cooking & baking with yogurt. Since saturated fats are a rarity in my diet, I am sometimes left with a heavy-stomach feeling after eating them. I find that goat milk products, because of the reduced fat and lactose content even in their whole form, assist my digestion of them; so you’ll notice that I used goat milk butter as well. Feel free to substitute with any butter or yogurt you desire, though. Along with a zested Meyer lemon (from Erika’s Kitchen!) and plenty of dried Mission figs, these breakfast treats were everything I hoped they would be.

Scenes from our serene morning:

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Meyer Lemon & Fig Goat Yogurt Scones:

So I realize that ‘moist’ is an over-used description, but I’m hard to please when it comes to scones, and adding yogurt here made for the most soft and pillowy clouds of moisture I have ever met in a scone. I have found my go-to scone recipe, to be sure. Inspired by Capretta's goat yogurt scone recipe.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cup spelt flour

1/2 cup toasted almond meal

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/8 cup turbinado sugar or raw honey

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 small eggs or 1 extra large egg

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

2/3 cup whole milk goat yogurt

1/4 pound Meyenberg Goat Butter (about 7.5 Tbsp)

zest from 1-2 Meyer lemons (enough to make 1 Tbsp)

8-10 dried figs, chopped

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Chill Goat Butter in freezer until cold.


• Mix flours, baking powder, sugar, salt, ginger and cinnamon until well blended.


• Crack eggs and beat well in a small bowl.  Then add yogurt, lemon zest and vanilla and mix.


• Remove Goat Butter from freezer and grate into the flour mixture with the coarse side of a box grater.


• Use hands to work butter into flour mix until well incorporated.


• Pour in liquids and stir until just incorporated. Add figs and gently incorporate.


• With wet hands, form dough into 8 large rounds and place on a lightly oiled and parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with more turbinado sugar.


• Bake 15-20 minutes, until lightly brown*

*I was at high altitude, so your baking time may be different.