Remember how I made banana chocolate chip coffee cake when my mom requested chocolate swirl banana bread? Remember how I felt like a terrible daughter since it was so close to Mother’s Day and I was pressuring you to make that coffee cake for Mom? It was a dark time in my life. I love my mom more than any other person in the world, and to not give her the world–or at least the banana bread–she requested made me feel so bad, I knew I had to make it up to her.

These are how I did it.

BANANA NUTELLA SCONES

I could end the post here and that would be sufficient to express how amazing these scones are, because they made everyone who tried them literally speechless. And it was only after they reached for thirds that they could say through a mouthful of scone that these were perfect. Nay, they were the best scones they had ever had!

Think about how many recipes I’ve posted (and how many are in my freezer waiting to be posted) and you’ll understand how high of praise that is. And Mom loved them! So much so that she forgot about the banana bread debacle and asked me one simple thing: Could I make another batch?

Yes, Mom, for you I will always whip up a batch of Banana Nutella Scones. Because I love you every day, not just Mother’s Day <3

So before I send you out to the grocery store to buy a jar of Nutella, let me say a few words about the scones themselves. You think from looking at them and picking them up to pile on your plate that they are going to be dense, but nope! They are lighter than air. They’re perfect. Banana and Nutella go together like peanut butter and jelly, and these scones take that natural flavor combination to a new level without either element overpowering the other. They’re perfect. FREEZING IS NOT OPTIONAL. The dough is very sticky and will not slice well if they are not frozen for at least 30 minutes before baking. Do so, and they’re perfect. Breakfast? Brunch? Second breakfast? Lunch? Afternoon tea? Dessert? Who cares, they’re perfect.

Did I mention they are perfect? And so is my mom, just throwing that out there again.

The recipe makes a small batch, only about 9-11 scones, so be sure to make more than one batch because these will not last. Every time you turn your back, a scone will be stolen. Make extras and hide them for yourself Mom. They are worth the extra effort.

Best topping suggestion I have is plain whipped cream. Not the sweetened canned stuff, but the homemade your-preference-sweetened-or-unsweetened whipped cream. I mean after all, you are already putting in the love and effort into making these scones for Mom, may as well take the extra minute to go that extra mile. Mom always did for me <3

banana nutella scones

ingredients

• 300 g plus 1 tbsp self raising flour (I believe that’s about 3 1/2 cups)
• 1 overripe banana, mashed (about 1/3 cup)
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp ultrafine baking sugar
• 100 mL heavy whipping cream
• ¼ to ½ cup whole milk
• 1 jar Nutella (you won’t use the whole jar, I used about 1/3)

In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt, sugar, and cinnamon. Give it a quick stir with a whisk to incorporate some air (you can also sift the ingredients together, but this is the cheating way). Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and place the mashed banana there. Using a flat bladed knife, like the ones you use to frost a cake, cut the banana into the flour.

Add cream and continue cutting in the liquid until it starts to come together. Add milk gradually, lightly kneading the dough together with your hands. Dough should be soft and not quite smooth. If it is perfectly smooth, you may have overworked it. You want all the ingredients to have come together but not knead out all the air. You may not use all the milk. Use just enough to make a smooth dough, but you do not want this dough to be wet.

On a floured surface, pat dough down to desired a 1 cm thick rectangle with floured hands. This dough is sticky, so have extra flour on hand. With a flat frosting knife, spread Nutella over rectangle. Roll up dough like you would a jelly roll, longways. Wrap scone log in wax paper and put in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425°F/220°C and place an oven rack at the top third of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Remove from freezer to a floured surface. Use a serrated knife to cut into ¾ inch rounds and place on baking sheet. Bake 8-12 minutes until scone tops are just beginning to turn golden. Mine were done at 10 on the dot. Remove to cool on a wire baking rack.

Immediately set about making another batch, and just never stop.