In search for the perfect scone

There is nothing better on this planet than a good cup of coffee and a delicious scone.

A simple but an exquisite pleasure!

So far, the best scones I've had are the vegan scones from the Whole Food Market bakery, the raspberry scones from Dunkin Donuts (they no longer sell them), and the cranberry nut scones from the Galley Hatch bakery. Each one of these scones are completely different from each other in taste, texture, and consistency. But they are all really yummy.

I have been on a quest for the perfect recipe to make my own.

Believe it or not, being on a "life-time" diet I end up cooking more often trying a variety of healthy, low fat and favorful recipes to hopefully, "stay on the wagon".

I know consuming scones doesn't really qualify for being very "weight watcher friendly."

However.

My breakfast regiment is a half of scone, cooked eggwhites and a cup of coffee.

I have tried a gallizion different scones recipes.

Most of them kind of suck.

I even tried Duchess Fergie's oatmeal scone recipe. Sarah Ferguson was a spokeswoman for weightwatchers. I figured, OK she is British, so she must know a decent recipe for scones.

Let me tell you.

Any bakery item that is labeled "fat free" tastes like shit.

I've done numerous google searches for vegan scone recipes that replicate the Whole Food market scones. It must be a secret recipe because I couldn't find it.

However.

I've developed a 'taste kitchen laboratory". My husband and I will sample various concoctions to see if what I make taste good.

What I have learned in my search and experimentations is that there are all different types of 'flour".

There is: all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, rice flour, barley flour, gluten free flour, cake flour, self rising flour, bread flour, bisquick flour, and pastry flour.

There are all kinds of "shortenings": crisco, real butter, margarine, and smart balance or earth balance spread.

There is also a big variety of vanilla and different kinds of exotic cinnamon spices.

All these things make a big difference in taste and how it bakes.

I also discovered that you have to mix and coordinate ingredients to give off the correct chemical reaction in order for it to be successful.

There is quite an art and science that goes into cooking.

OK so after quite a bit of experimentation here is my" perfect scone" recipe:

preheat oven to 400F

2 cups of pastry flour (it has to be pastry flour)

1 cup of quaker oats

1/2 TBS baking powder

1/4 teas Indonesian cinnamon

1/2 teas salt

1 teas orange zest (peel)

blend this together

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2/3 cup of cool smart balance

mix this in with dry ingredients till mix is crumbly

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in a separate bowl

1/2 cup fat free milk

1 TBS vanilla (not vanilla flavoring)

1/2 cup natural Florida cane crystal sugar

1 large egg (at room temperature)

1/2 cup chopped dates

mix together

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mix all ingredients together plus 1/3 cup of chopped walnuts

form little balls and flatten them down on an ungreased cookie sheet

bake for about 20 minutes or untill browned at the edges

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These scones are fairly low fat and somewhat healthy.

Seriously, these are the best scones ever!