Summertime in the south means peaches, peaches, peaches! These ephemeral delights are best enjoyed at peak ripeness, whether raw, baked, blitzed into ice cream, or preserved. For this peach and ricotta spelt scones recipe, adding a bit of spelt flour into the all-purpose helps the mixture stand up to the juicy peach chunks, while ricotta makes for a moist, loose crumb. With just 1/4 cup of brown sugar, these scones are scarcely sweet at all, allowing the peach flavor to really shine!
These scones are not a low-fat food! While the addition of real fruit chunks and spelt flour does help to offset the added sugar, ingredients like ricotta, heavy cream, and butter bring the dough together. Fat content aside, these scones are fun to bake and a treat to eat.
What is Spelt Flour?
If you are a seasoned baker, you understand different flours tend to behave…differently. Some have higher protein content than others, like bread flour. Some have low protein content like cake flour. Then there’s the wide range of alternative flours, like rice, tapioca, chickpea, amaranth, etc. And let’s not forget about whole wheat!
While each of these flours is worthy of a lengthy discussion in and of themselves, let’s start by taking a look at spelt flour.
Spelt flour is a stone-ground ancient grain that was a precursor to modern wheat. It can be used in lieu of all-purpose flour or, commonly, whole wheat.
Once a prolific crop in the Middle Ages, spelt flour has a pleasant, sweet and nutty flavor. It adds a reddish tint to your baked goods, and is capable of light and airy baking. Whole grain spelt flour and spelt berries are available at most grocery stores or online at Bob’s Red Mill’s website.
Reasons to Use Spelt Flour
Whole grain spelt flour is an ample amount of fiber as well as:
- Vitamins B1, B3, B6
- Vitamin E
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Manganese
- Iron
- Phosphorus
- Selenium
- Zinc
This is a far cry from all-purpose flour, even enriched flour, which has additives not naturally occurring in the wheat flour. For a list of the nutrition facts of enriched flour, click here.
Furthermore, spelt flour helps in reducing blood sugar spikes after eating, making these scones taste even sweeter. Because of spelt’s easy digestibility, it has even been shown to reduce inflammation in the gut and promote healthy digestion!
Ways to Use Spelt Flour
Spelt flour is more versatile than it might seem! A wonderful way to begin incorporating spelt flour into your baking is to add it half and half with regular flour. (For example, if a recipe calls for 3 cups of flour, add 1.5 cups of all-purpose flour and 1.5 cups of spelt flour.)
When you’re not making peach and ricotta spelt scones, some popular ways to use spelt flour include:
- cakes
- muffins
- waffles or pancakes
- breads
- cookies
Looking for a savory application? Check out this recipe for herbed spelt scones packed with parsley and lemon zest!
Juicy Peach and Ricotta Spelt Scones
This recipe comes together with a few choice ingredients. Gather your perfectly ripe peach, dry ingredients, ricotta, cream, and lemon.
Then add butter to your whisked dry ingredients and chop your peaches.
Cut the butter into the dry ingredients using a pastry cutter, fork, or your fingers.
Toss in your chopped peaches.
Mix to incorporate, then mix your buttermilk with your ricotta.
Mix the wet into the dry ingredients until just incorporated.
Shaping Your Peach Ricotta Scones
Mold into a disk about 1 inch thick on a floured surface. Cut into 8 even triangles, or into squares if you prefer.
I chose triangles 🙂
Brush with cream before baking.
If you like, sprinkle some large crystal sugar over the top of these beauties!
Bake for 15-17 minutes aaaand…
Best eaten warm. These scones keep wrapped up tight or in an airtight container up to 3 days.
Juicy Peach and Ricotta Spelt Scones (Low Sugar)
Equipment
- pastry brush
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup spelt flour
- 1 Tbs baking powder
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 6 Tbs cold butter, cut into pieces
- 1 heaping cup peaches, cut into cubes (about one large peach)
- 3/4 cup whole milk ricotta
- 1/3 cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing
- 1/2 lemon, seeds removed, juiced
- large crystal sugar for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Add strained lemon juice to heavy cream and stir. Let mixture sit 10-15 minutes.
- Whisk dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl and set aside. Cut the peach into cubes and remove the pit. Cut butter into 1 Tbs pieces.
- Using a pastry cutter, fork, or your fingers, cut the butter into the combined dry ingredients. Once the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, add the peach chunks and stir to combine.
- Combine ricotta and heavy cream with lemon juice (buttermilk replacement). Using a spatula, mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined.
- Heavily flour a countertop or cutting board and shape the dough into a disc about 1" thick. Cut into 8 even scones (square or triangular work).
- Place scones on baking sheet, brush heavy cream and sprinkle with optional sugar. Bake 15-17 minutes, or until scones are lightly golden brown. Allow to cool to room temperature before eating. Best enjoyed within 3 days after keeping in an airtight container.
