TOASTED OATMEAL-APRICOT ALMOND SCONES

(adapted from Cook’s Illustrated and the Macrina Cookbook)
 
Makes 8 scones
 
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
½ cup slivered almonds
¼ cup whole milk
¼ cup heavy cream
1 large egg
1½ cups white whole wheat flour
⅓ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon orange zest
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into ½” pieces
½ cup dried apricots, chopped
coarse sanding sugar for sprinkling
 
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spread oats and almonds evenly on a baking sheet. Bake in oven until lightly browned and fragrant, about 7 minutes. (Keep an eye on things here; you don’t want them to burn.) Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack. Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees F. When the oats and almonds have cooled, measure out 2 tablespoons; you will use them later when turning out the dough onto your work surface.
 
In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, cream, and egg. Set aside one tablespoon of the milk/cream/egg mixture to use as a glaze for the scones.
 
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, pulse together the flour, sugar, orange zest, baking powder, and salt. Add the cold butter cubes and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and stir in the cooled oats and almonds. Add the diced apricots. Use a rubber scraper to fold in the milk/cream/egg mixture. Finish mixing the dough by hand just until it holds together.
 
Dust your work surface with the reserved 2 tablespoons of oats/almonds. Turn the dough out on top of the oats/almonds and gently turn the dough until everything is incorporated. Pat the dough into a circle about 7” in diameter. Use a bench scraper to cut the circle of dough into 8 triangles. Place the scones about 2” apart on a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush the tops of the scones with the reserved milk/cream/egg glaze and sprinkle with a bit of coarse sugar.
 
Bake in your preheated 425 degree F oven for about 15-18 minutes, just until the scones are toasty and golden brown. Cool on a rack and serve with apricot jam.