‘Cheesy’ Vegan Pesto Scones

Judging by the latest recipes I’ve uploaded on the blog, I’ve got a bit of a walnut obsession, so bear with me while I add another item, vegan ‘cheesy’ walnut pesto scones. Having made cashew and date scones last week (which somehow disappeared within a couple of days…hmm), I now have a hankering after something savoury and a bit cheesy. A perpetual problem for many vegans is how to find a good substitute for cow’s milk cheese, or goat’s milk cheese when the craving hits. As you’ll know if you read TheTastyVegan regularly, we can all suffer from a cheese addiction due to the casomorphin content of the stinky stuff, with some more susceptible than others. As I still have incredible cheese cravings years after becoming vegan I’m fairly sure I’m addicted to those dietary opioids so it’s probably good that I stay away.

Where was I? Oh, yes, sidetracked by cheese when I should be telling you of my latest concoction. I basically adapted the sweet cashew and date scone recipe, keeping an eye on the salt quantities as my homemade walnut cilantro pesto also contains salt, and got rid of almost all the sugar, although I kept a little in to see how it went. I also used Daiya, which is cheating a little, but hey, that orangey green colour is not going to just magically appear now is it?

For twelve scones…

You Will Need

• 2 cups flour (half unbleached white, half wholewheat)
• 1/4 cup sugar (optional but make sure it’s vegan!)
• 2tsp baking powder
• 1tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup vegan margarine
• 1/4 cup soy milk (or slightly less rice or almond milk)
• 2 egg equivalent (see note)
• 2 tbsps store bought or homemade vegan pesto
• 1/2 cup of Daiya if you want the scones really cheesy!
• 1/4tsp salt
• ground black pepper to season

Note: One easy egg equivalent can be made by mixing 1tbsp of ground flaxmeal (usually in the refrigerator section at the store) with 2-3tbsps of warm water. Leave the mixture for a few minutes whilst getting on with the rest of the recipe and the lignans in the flax will cause the concoction to turn into a goopy pasta that helps bind your scones together just like an egg would. Plus, it’s a much cheaper vegan egg replacer than the powdery stuff you can buy at the store which, in my experience, doesn’t really add anything to the recipes in which it is used.

Vegan Pesto Scones: The Method to the Madness

1. Make your vegan egg equivalent and set aside to gloop-up (that’s the technical term, seriously).
2. Mix the flours, baking powder, bicarb, salt, and sugar (if using) in a separate, large bowl.
3. Chop the margarine into little cubes and then chop it into the dry mix above until most of the fat is coated with flour to protect it.
4. Get your (clean!) fingers into the bowl and make breadcrumbs with the fat and flour mix, remembering to lift the stuff out of the bowl to rub it between your fingers so that it gets some air into it and doesn’t just end up deadweight.
5. Add in your Daiya cheese if you’re using it, I like the cheddar just because it gives the scones a green and orange hue and looks pretty weird! The mozzarella might be better if you’re trying to look a bit fancier…
6. Once you’re satisfied with your breadcrumbs (don’t overwork it!) and you’ve added in the Daiya or other vegan grated cheese, add in your flax mix, pesto, and soy milk and mix it up to form a smooth ball of dough. You might need to add a dash more milk at this stage but it usually comes together nicely on a cool day with a bit of tough love from a wooden spoon.
7. Put the dough in the fridge for 20mins and get the over preheating to 425degrees. Put some coffee on and be patient.
8. Roll out the dough to about 3/4 inch thick and use scone cutters to stamp out twelve or so rounds. Place these on a floured baking tray and bake for 12-15 mins, or until the tops are looking slightly browned and the house is smelling delicious.
9. Leave them for a minute or two on the baking tray and then transfer to a wire cooling rack.
10. Eat. Simple really.

They’re excellent with just lashings of margarine, stuffed with yet more Daiya, or even with a vegan cheese spread like Tofutti. I have plans to try them with an avocado filling as I think that will work well with the cheesiness. Let me know what fillings you’ve concocted to go with these vegan cheesy pesto scones, and any variations that have worked for you!

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