Triple Caramel Scones

Caramel lovers will rejoice when they bite into one of these tender, fluffy scones. Packed with caramel sauce, caramel extract and and crushed hard caramels, there's no escaping the decadence!

We have a soft spot for scones around here. Since bread and muffins are more or less a bi-weekly event, the rare time a scone or biscuit hits the oven we truly savour it. The reason we don't enjoy them more often is the same reason why we love them so much - they are rich in fat and sugar, melting in your mouth while warm, and really - who just eats a scone by itself? Mandatory scone-operating procedures demand at least a little fruit, often a touch of butter (mmm, melting butter!) and a large coffee (or some caffeinated beverage), and usually they're part of a brunch spread. If they feature on the dessert menu, again you have the fruit component, but a little ice cream somehow sneaks in too.

But once in a while, how can you argue with something so sinful? Especially when it's homemade - at least that way you can control the quality of the ingredients you're eating, and if you like it less sweet, glazed or unglazed, or a special flavour the doors are wide open to you.

Since my dad and I are caramel fans, I decided that this time around, browned, gooey sugar would be the dominant taste. Of course, I didn't just use chopped up caramels - no, that would be just so pedestrian! Instead, I started with the nutty flavour of spelt flour and built on it with three hits of caramel - homemade caramel sauce replaced the traditional milk or sour cream, caramel extract added to the vanilla and finally crushed hard caramels added a touch of extra texture. I added a bit of Truvia for extra sweetness, but it doesn't really need it (especially if you're doing the ice cream or sweet coffee thing) - and if I get a chance to make these again I'll top it with a touch of finishing salt like Hawaiian Black Lava.

Triple Caramel Scones
Heavily adapted from a Starbucks Copycat Recipe
Makes 8

1 cup flour
1 cup cake flour (or more AP flour)
1 cup spelt flour
4 packets Truvia (or 2 tbsp sugar)
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp baking powder
pinch nutmeg
½ cup shortening (scones are flakier with shortening or lard)
¾ cup caramel sauce (I used homemade, a good dulce de leche can be used)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp caramel extract
⅔ cup crushed hard caramels or Skor bits

1. Preheat oven to 425 F and line a (doubled up) baking sheet with SilPat or high quality parchment (my dollar-store parchment paper burned!).
2. In a food processor, pulse together the flours, Truvia, salt, baking powder, nutmeg and shortening until crumbly.
3. Pour in the caramel sauce, egg, vanilla and caramel extracts and pulse to form a soft dough.
4. Pulse in caramel bits.
5. Turn onto the baking sheet and form into a circle. Score into 8 wedges but don’t separate them.
6. Bake 18 minutes.
7. Reduce the heat to 350F and separate the wedges.
8. Return to the oven for 10 minutes.
9. Cool completely on the sheets

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 478.9
Total Fat: 19.6 g
Cholesterol: 36.5 mg
Sodium: 263.2 mg
Total Carbs: 74.6 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.7 g
Protein: 6.1 g