Light plain scones, made with kefir and wholemeal emmer flour. Perfect for loading with jam and cream. Sit down to a very British institution, afternoon tea and enjoy these emmer scones. If you’re looking for something a little different, scroll down the post and you’ll find a whole heap of additional scone recipes.
Afternoon Tea Week
It’s Afternoon Tea Week and you can’t have afternoon tea without scones, preferably with jam and cream, in that order. It also happens to be International Scone Week, which was started by Celia from Fig Jam & Lime Cordial in Australia a few years ago. It’s now ably hosted by Tandy from Lavender and Lime in South Africa.
I don’t always manage to participate, but this double whammy was too important an occasion to miss. These emmer scones are the result.
What the Heck is Emmer Flour?
Emmer is an ancient form of wheat. It was first domesticated in the Middle East during the neolithic period, around 8,000 BC. Hunter gatherers, however, harvested wild varieties many thousands of years before this. CT suggested I should call these, Stone Age Scones, as a tribute to this ancient wheat.
In common with einkorn flour and spelt flour, these ancient wheats are meant to be more attuned to the human gut than modern flours and thus more easily digested. To help the scones rise and add even more gut friendly goodness, I used kefir to bind the flour together.
Emmer Scones
I live in the land of Cornish clotted cream, so it goes without saying that I think the best way to eat scones is with jam first, cream on top. However, I know not everyone sees it the same way, so I say, whatever your preference, I hope you’re enjoying scones at some point during Afternoon Tea Week.
To show I’m not completely biased and that indeed not everyone necessarily wants jam and cream on their scones, you’ll find links to a whole variety of scone recipes at the bottom of this post. I’m sure you’ll want to try at least one of them.
I’m very partial to a savoury cheese scone, but the best ones are scones that you can pile jam and cream onto. For this reason, I rarely put any sweetener in my scones as the jam is plenty sweet enough. These emmer scones are a perfect vehicle for doing just this. I loaded mine with some of the chilli and blackcurrant jam I made a couple of years ago.
The scones don’t rise to the same extent as ordinary ones due to the bran in the wholemeal flour, but they are perfectly light and delicious. Goodbye Stone Age, hello Scone Age.
What’s your favourite scone and how do you like to eat them?
Other Recipes for Scrummy Scones You Might Like
Sweet Scones
- Black cherry & cinnamon scones via Foodie Quine
- Buttermilk raisin scones via Kitchen Sanctuary
- Caramel scones via Baking Queen
- Cardamom & lemon scones via Recipes from a Pantry
- Chocolate chip scones via Tin and Thyme
- Cranberry & orange scones via Kitchen Sanctuary
- Mrs Beeton’s scones via Kavey Eats
- Rich chocolate scones via Tin and Thyme
- White chocolate scones via Tin and Thyme
Savoury Scones
- Brie & chive lunch scones via Tin and Thyme
- Cheese and herb scones via Family Friends Food
- Cheese scones via Tin and Thyme
- Vegan wholemeal scones via Tin and Thyme
- Wild garlic & cheese scones via Tin and Thyme
Show Me Your Emmer Scones
Thanks for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make these emmer scones, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. And do please rate the recipe. Have you any top tips? Do share photos on social media too and use the hashtag #tinandthyme, so I can spot them.
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If you’d like some more jam eating opportunities, follow the link and you’ll find I have quite a lot of them. All delicious, of course.
Choclette x
Emmer Scones. PIN IT.
Emmer Scones – The Recipe
Emmer Scones
Ingredients
- 8 oz emmer flour (250g) or use einkorn, spelt or wholemeal
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 oz salted butter (30g)
- ¼ pt kefir, buttermilk, sour milk or watered down yoghurt (150ml)
- 1 egg beaten
Instructions
- Rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.8 oz emmer flour, 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), 2 tsp cream of tartar, 1 oz salted butter
- Make a well in the centre and add ¾ of the egg and most of the kefir (reserving some in case it’s needed). Stir with a round bladed knife from the inside to the outside until the ingredients are just combined and form a dough – you may need to use the rest of the kefir to get the right consistency.¼ pt kefir, buttermilk, sour milk or watered down yoghurt
- Roll the dough out on a floured surface to about ¾″ (2cm) thick then cut into rounds with a 2 ½” (6cm) cutter. You’ll need to re-roll the cut out bits a couple more times.
- Place on a lined baking tray, brush with the remaining egg, then bake in the top part of the oven at 200℃ for 15 minutes or until the scones are golden and the bases sound hollow when tapped. Place on a cooling rack.
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Sharing
I’m sending these emmer scones to Lavender and Lime for International Scone Week. I’m also joining in with Tea Time Treats which is hosted at Lavender and Lovage this month. The theme is: Afternoon Tea.
Johanna @ Green Gourmet Giraffe says
These sound very interesting – I’ve never tried emmer flour or even heard of it but love hearing about new (old ) flours. I am very partial to savoury scones too and when I make them plain I often eat a few with just butter or some savoury spread on them.
Choclette says
I believe it’s one of the oldest wheats Johanna, it sort of feels very special using it somehow and makes me think about all those early foragers. A good scone only needs a bit of butter – mmm, feeling I need a scone now 🙂
nadia says
I really can’t keep up with these food holidays! Out of all of the weeks, I can’t believe I missed afternoon tea week! I love scones but haven’t made any in over a year! I think you’ve just inspired me to bake some soon! I have never heard of emmer, even though I’m from the Middle East. Need to look it up and find out more about it 🙂
Choclette says
Luckily, you don’t need Afternoon Tea week for an excuse to bake scones 😉 Yes, Emmer is a little known grain that I’d heard of, but never used until recently. I haven’t used Einkhorn either which is another similar one.
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
I’ve never heard of emmer! These look great though, anything topped with clotted cream gets a big thumbs up from me 🙂
Choclette says
Yes indeed, hard to go wrong with clotted cream 😉
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Can you believe I haven’t made scones since last winter? This is a tragedy!
Choclette says
I can believe it Rebecca, I only tend to make them about once a year 😉
POPPY says
Wow Choclette! What an interesting take on scones. You always use wonderful ingredients! Emmer is one I haven’t tried before but if I come across it will be sure to try it.
Choclette says
Thanks Poppy. I like trying different flours, especially ones that we’re better adapted to.
Lucy says
I haven’t heard if emmer either! Though I often bake with spelt. They sound lovely, thanks for including my scones in your links to other scone recipes. I can see there are a lot of scones I will have to get through trying them all!
Choclette says
I enjoy trying out all these flours and I’m generally impressed with the more ancient grain varieties. As for the scones, I want to try them all too 😉
Dom says
well they look kinda perfect… my take on scones is that essentially they’re a vehicle for jam and cream (in that order) and so we shouldn’t fuss with them too much although the emmer flour sounds intriguing! Happy Scone Week!
Choclette says
Well yes exactly Dom, hence the loaded jam and cream 😉
Nicky says
Well you learn something new every day! I’ve never heard of emmer before, but they sound like a great option for a tummy friendly treat. I’m afraid I’m on the cream and then jam side 😀
Thanks for including my scone recipes!
Choclette says
Hehe, the important thing is to enjoy the scones Nicky 😉
Amanda (@lambsearshoney) says
These sound delicious, although I’m not sure I’ve heard of emmer flour before.
Choclette says
Thanks Amanda. I don’t think many people have, although it’s more commonly used in Italy, apparently!
Isabella says
stone age scones is such a fab name! Loved this post, anything historical and I am there! Thank you so much for linking to me 🙂
Choclette says
My pleasure Isabella – Stone Age scones they are 😉
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
I love emmer..one of my favorite grain to bake hearty bread. Your scones look marvelous!
Choclette says
I have still to try einkorn, which I first came across on your blog Angie, but I really like emmer.
Kevin Chambers-Paston says
I’d never even heard of emmer until I read this post, so thank you for educating me! I’ll be keeping an eye out for it now; I’ve never baked with unusual flour before.
Choclette says
Not even spelt Kevin? I like trying all these flours and prefer to bake with older gentler wheats.
Tandy | Lavender and Lime says
Thank you so much for taking part, and for the history about emmer. I am like you and put the cream on top 🙂
Choclette says
Thanks Tandy and thanks for hosting the event too. It would have been a sad tradition of Celia’s to have lost. So glad you know how to eat your jam and cream 😉
Kavey says
I kind of like Stone Age Scones!! I’ve not baked with emmer, shall look out for it.
Choclette says
I wasn’t sure if Stone Age would give the impression of rock solid scones – which they’re not! GWhy not get some emmer for Pete to try out in a loaf.