This week, BuzzFeed Food’s spring vegetable correspondent is trading in all those veggies for a sweet, seasonal treat.
Strawberries bring sweet hope for summer fun and longer, consistently warm days. So it's fitting that when these berries first start showing up in late spring, I tend to ambitiously cart six quarts of them home at a time. The fruit is so fragrant, ruby red, and jammy that I can't help myself.
Of course, the last batch or so starts to look a little rough after several days because I can't eat them fast enough. But that's when this recipe — for delicious vegan scones with oven-roasted strawberries and dark chocolate — comes in handy.
Roasting the strawberries is crucial. Twenty-five minutes in the oven concentrates the fruit's juices and makes them ideal for a scone. It also ensures you won't end up with watery pockets in the dough.
A scone is something that's easily made vegan. Cold coconut oil and a touch of lemon or lime juice is added to coconut milk to make a "buttermilk" that gives great texture to the finished product. Then berries, antioxidant-rich dark chocolate, and whole wheat flour are mixed in — and you've got a lighter, homemade sweet treat that's perfect for spring.
First, coat the strawberries in a mixture of lemon juice, maple syrup, and vanilla extract, then spread them out on a baking sheet.
You'll roast them in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes at 375 degrees, then set aside to cool.