Ginger Chocolate Chunk Scones

Happy Easter! I love holidays that give me an excuse to bake something special. I got the idea for these scones from Isa's Ginger Chocolate Chunk Scones and adapted my scone recipes from 2013: Apple Spice Scones and Toffee and Chocolate Chunk Scones.

I used frozen olive oil in place of the nondairy butter or coconut oil, because it's the only oil I have, and I used sunflower seed cream instead of cashew or coconut cream, because it's what I have.

You want everything to be cold, so that is why I froze the olive oil first and used cold sunflower seed cream. To freeze the olive oil, place in a plastic container in the freezer for about an hour. It should be congealed but still soft. You can even refrigerate the dry ingredients while you wait for the olive oil to freeze. Keeping the dough cold will result in a lighter, flakier scone.

Ginger Chocolate Chunk Scones:

2 cups white whole wheat flour (whole wheat pastry or all-purpose would work too)
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch nutmeg

1/4 cup frozen olive oil (can sub 1/4 cup coconut oil or 5 tablespoons nondairy butter)
1 cup sunflower seed cream (recipe below), cold (can sub 1 cup full-fat coconut milk or cashew cream)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate (3 ounces of chocolate)

For the sunflower seed cream:
1/2 cup sunflower seeds, soaked overnight (or soaked in just-boiled water for 30 minutes, in a time crunch)
3/4 cup cold water
Drain sunflower seeds, and blend seeds and water until smooth.

Preheat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly oil.

Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and spices in a medium-sized bowl (use the bowl of an electric stand mixer, if available). Cut frozen olive oil into dry ingredients with a pastry cutter, two knives or your fingertips (if using an electric stand mixer, mix with a paddle). Add dark chocolate chunks and stir to combine. Add sunflower seed cream and vanilla extract and mix until just-combined.

Liberally flour a clean surface and flour hands. Form dough into a 9-inch circle. Cut into 8 pieces. Carefully transfer pieces to prepared baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes until scone springs back to the touch. Let cool for several minutes on baking sheet and then transfer to a cooling rack.

Serve with Dalgona Coffee / Greek Frappe.

Yield: 8 scones