Maple Pecan and Pear Spelt Scones with Maple Pear Butter

This lady whom I'm doing rehabilitation work with, Shobie, has been putting herself on a diet. She's also religiously following the liver detox menu I gave her - it's no joke walking around carrying 96kg of weight. Being a vegetarian, she's not contented with just vegetables (something to think about). She loves everything starchy and processed especially white rice and mashed potatoes. She claims she can eat just rice and broccoli, whole day.

However she's determined. She got rid of the bag of candies that her nurse carried around with her, and she shunned social events just so she doesn't "have to" eat them (peer pressure, I guess). If you knew her, you'd know how big of a sacrifice that is for her. In order to keep her motivation high, I decided to make a deal with her: she shall eat no sweets and refined carbohydrates unless it's from me; I will bring her one treat every week.

It was very daring of me to do so given what a foodie she is. But she approved of my bagels "I need you to open a bakery", "you should sell your bagels to au bon Pain". That gave me plenty of confidence.

I decided to start with scones - her favorite -. Despite her distaste for whole wheat products, I used spelt flour in this recipe. It's nuttier and sweeter than usual whole wheat flour - an answer to people who want good, tasty whole grain products. Spelt has high water solubility, so the nutrients are easily absorbed by the body. It is also higher in fiber, B Vitamins and proteins than the common varieties of commercial wheat. People who are allergic to wheat may be able to tolerate spelt because its proteins are easier to digest. Nevertheless, it is NOT gluten-free.

It doesn't have an exciting flavor as the Strawberry and Goat Cheese Scones or the Wholewheat Blueberry and Raisin Sour Cream Scones. However, the scones have just the right amount of softness that they feel like "home". I loved watching how the maple pear butter just melt over the warm scones. Not only did Shobie approved, she also raved about them to her sister, San, whom together with her husband, I'm teaching Yoga to. I brought some to San the next day: you can't please one sister and not the other while both of them are your paying clients.

Ingredients:

(makes 16 small scones or 10 large scones)

For the maple pear butter:

• 1 large ripe sweet pear, peeled, cored and cubed
  
• 1/4 Cup butter
  
• 1 1/2 Tablespoon pure maple syrup

1. Simmer pears in a pot of water over medium heat until pears are soft and water evaporated.
2. Let cool slightly. Stir in butter and maple syrup. Let stand at room temperature to thicken before storing in refrigerator.

For the scones:

• 3 Cups Organic Spelt flour
• 1/3 Cup natural cane sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 Cup butter, cut
  
• 3/4 Cup buttermilk (lemon juice + milk)
  
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  
• 2 medium size sweet pears, peeled and diced
  
• 1/2 Cup chopped pecans
• sugar
  

1. preheat oven to 180C.
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until butter is the size of peas. Stir in buttermilk, vanilla extract, pears and pecans. Turn mixture onto a lightly floured board and knead several times until dough is smooth.
3. Separate dough into 4 portions. Press each portion into a 5" circle and cut into 4 wedges with a sharp knife. Or, roll dough out into a 10" circle and cut into 10 wedges.
   
4. Place wedges 1-inch apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle lightly with sugar. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown on top.
5. Serve warm with Maple Pear Butter.