Coconut Scones

One of the things that I like about scones is that they are very versatile. The standard cream scone is plain, only mildly sweet, and gets most of its flavor from butter, cream or any other liquid used as a binder. You can pair it with sweet preserves and savory sauces, if you so choose, and you can add any number of flavorings to the scone itself to make it sweet or savory to begin with. These coconut scones are on the sweeter end of the spectrum, good for munching on a lazy weekend morning or with the recipe double and served at a holiday brunch.

The scones have two types of coconut in them: shredded coconut and coconut milk. Coconut milk doesn’t have a strong coconut flavor on its own, but that flavor does come out when combined with the shredded coconut. It also adds a nice richness to the scones that would otherwise be provided by cream. I used sweetened shredded coconut, since that is the variety that is most readily available, but if you have unsweetened coconut (or finer dessicated coconut) you can add in an extra tablespoon or so or sugar to make up the difference in sweetness.

When they’re fresh, these are slightly crispy on the outside and tender in the middle. The coconut is mild, but a wonderful change from plain scones or those made with blueberries or currants, both of which are fairly common. These are great plain, but are also excellent with jam. If you’re up for making a batch yourself, try them with lime curd for a tropical flavor.

Coconut Scones
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
6 tbsp butter, chilled and cut into 6-8 pieces
1/2 cup sweetened, shredded coconut
approx. 1/2 cup coconut milk

Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Add butter and toss to coat.
Using your finger tips, rub the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles very coarse sand. A few larger bits are ok, but most should be smaller than a pea. Stir in shredded coconut.
Add in about 1/3 cup of coconut milk and stir into dough with a fork. Add remaining coconut milk as needed until dough comes together into a shaggy ball. Knead lightly with your hand until dough is smooth.
Divide dough in to two balls and press each into a disc about 1/2-inch thick on prepared baking sheet. Cut each disc into quarters and separate slightly.
Bake for about 15 minutes, until scones are a light golden brown on top.
Cool on a wire rack before serving.

Makes 8.