Fruity Hot Cross Scones

COVID-19 put Easter trips on ice for Aussie families, so the Heart Foundation has put together a heart-healthy recipe to help you enjoy eggcellent eating at home. 

Heart Foundation dietitian Maria Packard said now was the time to go easy on hot cross buns and chocolate as COVID-19 forces families to stay at home and restrict their daily physical activities. 

"Why not start Easter morning with a heart healthy breakfast to fill you up and help cut down unhealthy snacking during the day. Eating well can help our support mind, body and soul, especially as people adapt their exercise routines to living in lockdown," Ms Packard said. 

"While the occasional chocolate treat is OK, opt for quality over quantity. 

"Heart healthy eating is about the variety of foods consumed regularly over time – not just focussing on individual nutrients or foods. Regularly eating a good mix of healthy plant-based foods, with smaller amounts of animal proteins and cutting down unhealthy junk foods will help reduce your risks for heart disease." 

Cooking Time 20 minutes (preparation time 25 minutes)
Serves 16 (1 scone per serve)

Ingredients
¾ cup mashed Kent (Jap) pumpkin
½ cup fat-reduced milk
1 egg
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons honey
2 cups wholemeal self-raising flour
1 cup self-raising flour
2 teaspoons mixed spice
¾ cup dates, chopped
1/3 cup sultanas

¼ cup currants
100g ricotta and ¼ cup honey, to serve
Cross Topping
¼ cup plain flour
2 tablespoon cold water

Glaze:
2 teaspoons honey

Method
Place pumpkin, milk, egg, oil and honey in a large jug. Whisk to combine.
Sift flours and spice into a large bowl, returning any husks remaining in sieve to the bowl. Stir in dates, sultanas and currants. Make well in centre. Add pumpkin mixture. Stir with a round-bladed knife to form a dough.
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently knead until mixture comes together. Using lightly floured hands, pat out dough to a 2½cm thickness. Cut into rounds with a 5.5 cm round cutter. Repeat step with dough trimmings, until all the dough is used, making 16 rounds altogether. Place rounds, side by side, on a lightly greased baking tray.
To make cross topping, place flour in a small bowl. Stir in about 2 tablespoons water to form a thick paste. Spoon into a snap lock sandwich bag. Squeeze mixture towards one corner of bag. Snip tip. Pipe over rounds to form crosses.
Bake in a 190Cc oven (fan-forced) for 18-20 minutes, or until scones are evenly browned.
For glaze, place honey in a small heatproof bowl. Microwave honey on HIGH for 10 seconds, until hot. Brush hot honey over scones.
To serve, split warm scones in half, lightly spread with ricotta and drizzle with a small amount of little honey.

Tips:
You will need to cook about 250g peeled, chopped pumpkin to give ¾ cup mashed pumpkin. Replace mixed spice with ground cinnamon or ground nutmeg, if preferred.

Freezer Tip:
These scones can be frozen for up to 1 month. Separate into individual scones and seal in a freezer bag. To serve, warm individual frozen scones in a microwave oven for about 20 seconds, or wrap a batch of scones in foil and heat in a 160C oven (fan-forced) for 10-15 minutes.