Have a Wheat Flour Shortage? Make Barley Raisin Scones

A few days ago, I ran a posting about the wheat/all-purpose flour and yeast shortage and promised my views on an alternative flour: barley. Well, here it is. Barley, so far at least, is great. I wish I'd tried it before now. No, barley flour isn't the same as wheat flour, and the taste and texture of baked goods will be different. Quick breads made with barley flour are more crumbly than those made with wheat flour. To me, the texture of quick barley breads seem like the texture of cornbread without the nubbiness. The barley taste is a little nutty, but not quite. Definitely good. You can certainly try a mixture of wheat and barley flour, but I opted for all barley, as I wanted to see what would happen. I adapted a scone recipe to good effect. The scones, which I baked in a scone pan, turned out moist, light, and full of flavor. I added a mixture of warm spices, some molasses, and raisins, which complement the barley. These are not traditional British scones but are more similar to a muffin with crispy edges. The barley scones are great for breakfast, snacks, and with tea, coffee, or a big glass of milk.

Barley Raisin Scones -- Makes 8+

1 cup of half and half

2 tablespoons of canola oil

1 large egg

2 tablespoons of molasses

1/3 cup of sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla

2 cups of barley flour

1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder

1/2 teaspoon of baking soda

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon of ginger

1/4 teaspoon of allspice

1/2 cup of raisins

Sugar for sprinkling

Spritz a scone pan (8 wells) with non-stick cooking spray (or line a baking sheet with parchment) and preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together the half and half, oil, egg, molasses, sugar, and vanilla well until the molasses is incorporated and the sugar dissolves. Stir in the barley flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices until just combined. Stir in the raisins. Divide the batter evenly among the wells of the scone pan (or drop the batter onto the prepared baking sheet, forming 8+ mounds). Sprinkle the top of the batter with a little sugar. Bake the scones for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and firm to the touch. Let the scones cool a few minutes before turning them out of the pan to cool completely.