Some of you may recall I finished my first Jane Austen book (NORTHANGER ABBEY) last year and loooved it. After finishing NORTHANGER, I was eager to jump into my next Austen read, so after careful consideration, I chose EMMA.
Is it possible I love this book even more? I can see why EMMA is so many people’s favorite Austen book. I think it’s where Austen’s strengths as a writer—wit, social commentary, dynamic characters, and realistic relationships—truly shine.
So of course I had to make a menu for EMMA! We’re starting off this menu with an homage to Mr. Robert Martin, who made what I consider to be one of the most underrated romantic gestures in a Jane Austen novel: walking 3 miles to gather walnuts, just because he heard Harriet Smith liked them. In honor of Mr. Martin’s devotion, we’re making walnut scones! I decided to add some honey and chopped dates too, since I love the honey-walnut-date flavor trio.
These scones are tender and buttery with a touch of both savory and sweet. They’d be perfect with a generous schmear of honey butter or blackberry jam!
A
Mr. Robert Martin’s Honey Walnut Date Scones
“[Mr. Robert Martin] had gone three miles round one day in order to bring her some walnuts, because she had said how fond she was of them . . . “
— Emma
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 cups flour
- 2½ tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp salt
- 6 Tbsp cold butter, cut into tablespoons
- ½ cup chopped walnuts, toasted
- To toast nuts, spread on an ungreased baking sheet and toast in a 325°F oven for 5 minutes.
- ½ cup chopped dates
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- ¾ cup half and half, divided
- ½ tsp turbinado sugar, for sprinkling
- 5 walnut halves, optional
Makes 5 scones
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With a fork or pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mix has a crumb-like texture with bits of pea-sized butter throughout.
- Add the walnuts and dates. Stir until combined. Make a well in the center.
- Add the honey, beaten egg, and ½ cup half and half to the well. Stir with a fork until mixture is just combined. The dough should be just damp enough to come together (don’t overwork it, since that can make the scones tough). If you don’t have enough moisture to bring all the dry material together, add another 2-3 Tbsp half and half.
- Shape the dough into a ball with your hands, making sure to press any stray bits from the bottom of the bowl into the ball. Place it on a floured cutting board. Roll it out into an 7″ x 9″ rectangle and cut into 4 3-inch circles, re-flouring as needed. Gather the scraps into a ball and re-roll until about ¾” thick. Cut out 1 more circle. Transfer all circles to the baking sheet.
- Brush the top of the circles with remaining half-and-half (you don’t have to use it all). Lightly sprinkle with turbinado sugar. If desired, top each scone with a walnut half.
- Bake for about 17 minutes until risen and the tops are golden brown. Allow to cool on the pan for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store at room temperature in a sealed container.
- Serve to the love of your life to show your devotion (after walking 3 miles to collect the walnuts for this recipe!).
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