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On the days that I can manage to get myself up early enough to have some time before the kids wake up, I often choose to spend the quiet of the morning baking some sort of treat for breakfast. I enjoy the peacefulness of being alone in the kitchen and the opportunity to temporarily set aside some of the more pressing tasks of the day. It calms my spirit and is one of my best ways to begin the morning.

These orange cinnamon scones with dark chocolate are exactly what the title suggests- infused with hints of orange, warmly spiced with cinnamon, and studded throughout with chunks of dark chocolate. They are completely whole-grain, but the texture is still remarkably light and tender thanks to the combination of the white whole wheat flour and the whole wheat pastry flour. It’s a lovely way to take advantage of the bountiful citrus season upon us.

Orange Cinnamon Scones with Dark Chocolate

Ingredients

1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
¼ cup coconut sugar
2½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
2 ounces chopped dark chocolate, about ⅓ cup
1 large egg
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest, from 1 large orange
¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
½ cup chilled heavy whipping cream
1 egg yolk plus 1 tablespoon water

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Cut butter into small cubes and scatter over the dry ingredients. Use a pastry blender to cut the butter cubes into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the chocolate.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, orange zest, orange juice, and cream. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined.
Transfer dough to a well-floured surface and form two circles ¾" thick. Use a floured knife to cut each circle into 6 wedges. Transfer scones to the baking sheet, leaving at least 1" between each.
Whisk together the egg yolk and water. Use a pastry brush to brush scones with the egg wash. Bake 13-16 minutes, until golden brown around the edges.

Notes

adapted from Ancient Grains for Modern Meals

If I had to choose one favorite fruit during the winter season, it would be persimmons. I personally tend to favor the fuyu variety over hachiyas because I prefer a slighter firmer bite to the fruit. Usually persimmons don’t last long enough around here for me to bake with them, but I recently discovered a sale and came home with enough persimmons to fill our entire fruit bowl. Adding persimmons to these simple cornmeal muffins was the first idea that came to mind. As it is when baking and roasting other types of fruit, the sweetness of the persimmons is pleasantly intensified after baking. These muffins are whole grain, naturally sweetened, and have fragrant citrus undertones. Baking a batch of these muffins is a bright and cheerful way to begin the day, especially on those cold and gray mornings.

Persimmon Cornmeal Muffins

Serves: 12 muffins

Ingredients

2 tablespoons white chia seeds
½ cup whole milk
⅓ cup yellow cornmeal
1½ cups spelt flour
½ cup almond meal
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon sea salt
zest of 1 orange
½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice (from 1-2 oranges)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
⅓ cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups peeled and diced fuyu persimmons (about 3 persimmons)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350. Butter or line a 12-cup muffin pan.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the chia seeds and milk. Allow mixture to stand for 10 minutes to thicken.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, spelt flour, almond meal, baking powder, and salt.
Add the orange zest, orange juice, butter, maple syrup, and vanilla to the chia seed mixture and whisk together. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined. Gently fold in persimmons.
Divide muffin batter among prepared muffin cups.
Bake 30-33 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Notes

adapted from Amy Chaplin's At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen