Almond Rhubarb Scones

Puckeringly tart rhubarb is mellowed in these slightly sweet Almond Rhubarb Scones. Prepared with a splash of vanilla extract and crunchy sliced almonds, these are an absolute delight. Topped with a sweet pink glaze made with grenadine, they’re just beautiful!

I begin to crave scones as soon as the weather starts to warm up.  There is nothing I enjoy more than a hot coffee or tea, and a freshly baked Almond Rhubarb Scone. I always have my scones with a smear of salted butter, but today, this scone was paired with some homemade rhubarb jam.

These past few weeks, the temperature outside has been so mild and the sun has been shining so brightly. Our old patch of rhubarb that we transplanted two years ago looks to be thriving once again. We also added two or three more rhubarb plants to our garden this year. And, if that wasn’t enough, our gardener, Wendy, and our neighbours, Eileen and Shawn, and also Charlie, both offered up their rhubarb. So, needless to say, I have so much rhubarb on hand!

A SCONE RECIPE WITH VERSATILITY

For this basis of this scone, I used my Basic Scone Recipe. I wanted to make a few versions of that recipe so that I could show you how easy it is. My Basic Scone Recipe is perfect just the way it is, especially if you are looking for a simple scone that can be slathered with butter and jam.

Actually, I put butter on all of my scones before I eat them! It’s the way I was raised. Butter goes on bread, scones, and also cinnamon rolls! (But, not the cinnamon rolls with icing!)

If I’m being completely honest, I think jam belongs on almost every scone as well. I love to slice the scone in half and smear on a bit of salted butter. Next, I add a good layer of my homemade jam, and fetch that hot coffee. Depending on the time of day, I might have a little bit of sharp cheddar cheese with it. I think all of that makes for a great lunch or an afternoon snack.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Flour – Any all-purpose flour will do just fine. I have not tested this recipe with any other types of flour.
• Butter – I used salted butter. If you’re using unsalted butter, add 1/4 teaspoon of salt to your flour and whisk it through.
• Sugar – Can you believe there are only three tablespoons of sugar in this recipe? It’s just the right amount of sweetness.
• Baking Powder – Quite a lot, like in most scones, to get that rise.
• Egg – Just one egg, but if you want a more golden, brown top, whisk one egg yolk with a tablespoon of water. Brush the tops with a pastry brush before baking.
• Milk – This is the liquid that binds it all together.
• Vanilla Extract – One whole tablespoon, which is a lot, but it works perfectly!
• Rhubarb – Use fresh rhubarb and cut them into a small dice.
• Sliced Almonds – One cup is all you need. 3/4 cup for the batter and 1/4 cup for the topping.
• Sanding Sugar – This is optional.
• Glaze – This is optional as well, but it’s just a matter of combining the confectioner’s sugar with a little bit of grenadine to give the glaze that light pink colour. You can substitute the grenadine with milk.

HOW TO MAKE ALMOND RHUBARB SCONES:

This really couldn’t be easier! Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Starting with the dry ingredients and butter first, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and butter, to a mixing bowl. Use a hand-held mixer to beat the butter into the dry ingredients until the combined ingredients resemble coarse sand. Add 3/4 cup of almonds and the diced rhubarb mix them through with a spatula.

Next, in a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, and vanilla extract. Pour into the butter and flour mixture and fold together. Don’t overmix – the dough will form quite quickly and shouldn’t be one complete, perfectly round ball of dough.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Use your hands to push the dough together, gathering up the bits into a mound. Sprinkle the top lightly with flour and push the dough into a round shape about 1 inch thick. Use a knife to cut the dough into 8 wedges. Transfer those to the baking sheet. Use a pastry brush to dust off any excess flour. Sprinkle over the remaining almonds.

Bake for 10-12 minutes depending on your oven, until the top is just slightly golden. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire cooling rack immediately. Once cooled, combine the confectioner’s sugar with the grenadine until silky smooth. Drizzle over the scones and top with sanding sugar, if desired. Allow the glaze to harden before storing the scones in a food-safe container with a lid or a domed cake stand.

MAKE YOUR RHUBARB RUBY RED!

Only the bottom half of the rhubarb stalk is a beautiful ruby red and pinkish colour. The top half is usually green – almost a yellowish green. If you want beautiful, bright red flecks of rhubarb in your cookies, soak the diced rhubarb in grenadine for a half hour. Drain well, pat dry, and use as the recipe instructs.

Let’s debunk one popular belief – grenadine is not cherry or strawberry syrup. In fact, grenadine is made with pomegranates. It is a syrup used primarily as a cocktail mixer. The pomegranate juice is boiled with sugar and reduced until thick and syrupy. You will find hints of citrus flavour and a gloriously stunning red colour.

QUESTIONS?

If I have not answered all of your questions in the text above, don’t hesitate to reach out to me! You can contact me by sending me a message in the comments section further down the page. I will try my best to answer as soon as possible! You might reach me even faster by following me on Facebook and sending me a private message. Scroll down below the recipe card to find my Follow Me on Social Media box and never miss another recipe!