Coconut Scones with Coconut Custard

by Diana

I was forever convinced that all my grandma’s cooking was 100% Syrian. Looking back and analysing the brief compilation of recipes we inherited, I can clearly see that she not only had to make pertinent adaptations to match the local available ingredients but would also make her very own versions of traditional Venezuelan dishes which as a child I trusted were of Middle East origin. I find quite moving to go through the pages of her old notebook and encounter recipes of one culture or another, arbitrarily. To me that’s the perfect exemplification of cultural integration and the best model to follow when it comes to writing (or posting) my very own history of migration.

This is Mary Berry's buttermilk scones recipe but adapted with dry toasted coconut and demerara sugar and served with an also versioned custard, enhanced with the humble flavours of this classic tropical fruit. 

© The Teaspoon

Ingredients
Yield: 6 scones 

For the scones:
225 g self raising flour 
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon 
40g unsalted butter - room temperature 
50 g demerara sugar - separate half of the sugar to top the scones before baking. 
2 eggs -one for the batter and one for the glaze, bitten 
110 ml buttermilk (or 100 ml milk + 1 tablespoon white vinegar)
50 g dry desiccated coconut (unsweetened), toasted in the oven at 200C for about 5 minutes - separate 2 tablespoons of the toasted coconut to top the scones before baking.

For the coconut custard:

375 ml semi skimmed milk

25 g rice flour 

75 granulated sugar

75 g dry desiccated coconut (unsweetened) 

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Method 

Heat the oven to 220C/428F. Line a baking tray and set aside.

To make the scones, sift the flour, baking powder, toasted coconut and cinnamon into a bowl. Add the butter and use your hands to run until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Incorporate the sugar, the bitten egg and the buttermilk and mix well using a fork or a spoon. The mixture will come together as a soft dough yet slightly sticky. 

On a clean work surface scatter some of the flour and turn the dough onto it. Sprinkle with about 1-2 tablespoons of flour and knead gently until the dough is smoother in consistency.

Use a rolling pin to flatten the dough to a thickness of approximately 3-4 cm. Use a scone cutter of your choice to cut out 6 pieces. If the dough is still slightly sticky then cover the cutter with flour for each cut. 

Place the scones in the lined baking tray. Brush only the tops with the remaining beaten egg and top with demerara sugar and toasted coconut. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Do not open the oven during that time. 

While the scones bake you may prepare the coconut custard. 

© The Teaspoon

Start by mixing well the rice flour and 50 ml of the milk in a cup. Set aside. 

In a saucepan heat the remaining milk, sugar and desiccated coconut and bring to the boil. Add the milk and rice flour mixture and lower the heat to a minimum, stirring constantly so it doesn't stick. Once it reaches custard consistency remove from the heat and pour into small ramekins. Allow to cool down and put in the fridge until they set (approximately 30 min). 

Pin It