Day Eight: Pumpkin Scones Recipe

The Day 8 recipe of the PammiCakes 12 Days of Christmas Indulgences is for Pumpkin Scones!  For me, pumpkin flavored treats isn’t just for the Fall.  In my house, we enjoy pumpkin flavor into the winter months.  Pumpkin is always spiced with the warmest of spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, which is perfect for winter too. 

 

These scones are beautiful and delicious.  The scone is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.  Plus, they are topped with a sweet and spiced frosting.  Have these for an indulgent breakfast or as an afternoon snack. 

Pumpkin Scones Recipe

Recipe adapted from Sweet Pea Kitchen
Makes 12 Scones
Preheat oven 425^o

For the Scones:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup and 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 large egg
 
For the Powdered Sugar Glaze:
1 cup plus 2 tablespoon powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons milk
 
For the Spiced Glaze:
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 pinch ground ginger
1 pinch ground cloves

Preheat the oven to 425^o. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

 
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with fit the paddle attachment, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger.   Add the butter and blend it  into the flour mixture with your hands.  Then, mix on medium-low speed until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal, with the butter pieces no larger than small peas.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, heavy cream and egg.   Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients, and form the dough into a ball.  Pat out dough onto a lightly floured surface and form into a 1-inch thick rectangle about 4 inches by 12 inches.  Use a large knife to slice the dough making three equal portions.  Cut each of the portions in an X pattern (four pieces) so you end up with 12 triangular slices of dough.  Place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until light brown. Place on wire rack to cool.

While the scones are cooling, make the powdered sugar glaze by mixing the powdered sugar and milk together until smooth. When scones are cool, spread the plain glaze over the top of each scone. Allow to firm.

While the powdered sugar glaze is firming, combine all of the ingredients for the spiced glaze. Drizzle over each scone and allow the icing to dry before serving (about an hour).

Low-Fat Blueberry Scones Recipe

I love scones.  They are probably one of my favorite pastries.  They are perfect for breakfast, a snack and accompanied by a cup of tea or coffee.  They are crunchy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.  They are a versatile pastry where they can be sweet or savory.  Plus, the flavor combinations that can be used in scones is limitless. 

Today, I have decided to make blueberry scones.  I am starting to get the winter blues and craving all of the sweet fruits that are associated with summer.  Our local grocery store had some plump blueberries, so I decided to take my chances with the off-season fruit, and I am glad I did!  Theses scones definitely helped to fill my void of fresh summer fruits. 

I found this scone recipe on SkinnyTaste.com.  This blog is amazing.  The author of the blog posts low-fat versions of everyone’s favorites recipes and also includes the Weight Watcher points if you are on that diet.  And since it is the start of the year and many of us have New Year’s resolutions to eat healthier, I thought this would be a perfect first post for 2012. 

Low-Fat Blueberry Scones

Recipe from SkinnyTaste.com

Preheat Oven 400^o

2 cups unbleached flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 (half stick) cup frozen butter

3/4 cups light buttermilk

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup fresh blueberries

Over a large bowl, sift all of the dry ingredients together.  Next, using the holes of a cheese grater, grate the frozen butter into the dry ingredients.  Mix the butter in well with the dry ingredients.

In a medium sized bowl, whisk in the buttermilk, egg and vanilla.

Using a fork, slowly stir in the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.  Combine the ingredients together until the well mixed, but do not over mix.  Next, fold in the blueberries.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Drop 8 large spoonfuls of batter onto the cookie sheet.  Bake on the center rack for 18 minutes.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 5-10 minutes before serving.  Enjoy!

Tips:

1) Don't forget, you don't need to run out and buy buttermilk because you can make your own.  Mix 1 cup of milk and 1 tablespoon of white vinegar.  Allow to sit for 5 minutes before use.

2) Feel free to use your favorite fruits in this recipe; strawberries, apples, etc. 

Banana Maple Oat Scones Recipe

I found myself, again, at the end of the week with lots of ripe bananas.  I love having this ‘problem’ because it means I can find some fun new recipes to bake to utilize these brown spotted bananas.  A few of my friends and I were going on a road trip to NH for the day and we had to leave early in the morning.  I thought it would be nice to have a little snack for the drive up just in case we got hungry.  I wanted it to fall into the breakfast foods category, and I found these delicious banana maple oat scones. 

They were easy to make and are delicious.  Plus they have a maple glaze.  Who doesn’t love a glaze on anything?  These scones are so crispy out the outside and flaky and soft on the inside.  They worked out perfectly for our road trip up to NH to satisfy our hunger.  They would also be perfect for a brunch or just as a snack with a cup of tea.

Banana Maple Oat Scones Recipe

Recipe from WhipperBerry

Preheat oven to 400^o

Banana Maple Oat Scones:
1 ¾ cup All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 cup Quick-Cooking Oats, plus some for sprinkling
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 Teaspoon Salt
2 Sticks Cold, Unsalted Butter diced

1/4 cup Buttermilk
1/3 Cup Maple Syrup
2 Medium Ripe Bananas, diced in small pieces (the riper the better)
2 Extra- Large eggs, plus one for egg wash(1 egg beaten with 1 Tb. milk)

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1/3 Cup Pure Maple Syrup
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract 

 
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the first six ingredients. Add the diced, cold butter and mix on the lowest speed and mix until the butter is in pea-size pieces. Combine the buttermilk, maple syrup and eggs together and add quickly to the flour-and-butter mixture. Add diced bananas and mix until just blended. The dough may be sticky.

Dump the dough out onto a well-floured surface and be sure it is combined. Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough about 1 inch thick into a circle shape. You should see lumps of butter in the dough. Cut like you would a pizza and make eight pieces. Carefully place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Brush the tops with egg wash. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are crisp and the insides are done.

To make the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar, maple syrup and vanilla. When the scones are done, cool for 10 to 15 minutes and drizzle each scone with 1 tablespoon of the glaze. I like to sprinkle some uncooked oats on the top, for garnish. The warmer the scones are when you glaze them, the thinner the glaze will be.

Tips:

      1) My dough was very sticky and I had to keep adding flour into the batter to make it managable to roll out on the counter.  Just add in you flour slowly and keep estimating small amounts at a time until you reach a dough consistancy. 

      2) I used a glass cup dipped into flour to cut my scones.  I wanted them to be a bit smaller than a typical scone.

      3) Definitely check your scones after 20 minutes of cooking.  I didn't and burned a few of my scones.  I thought the burning smell was from some cheese that might have feel to the bottom of the oven from Friday's pizza night.  Opps!  Lesson learned.  We can't have successes all the time or else we wouldn't have anything to learn from.