Saturday, November 20, 2010

Pumpkin Scones... with an edge of spiciness!

This is the first-ever Nigella Lawson recipe I've tried!  I did not alter the recipe one bit from the way I found it in Better Homes and Gardens' October 2010 issue.

I've never had sorta spicy pumpkin scones, so I wanted to try these.  She suggests serving them warm, with a little butter.  I'm taking them to church on Sunday, so I hope they're also good warm temperature, without butter.

I should tell you, they remind me of moist, puffy Cheez-Its.  Just a little bit.  Hope that's not a personal affront to a Nigella.  They really are good.

First, melt the butter.  Then, add to it the pumpkin, the Parmesan cheese, egg, Worcestershire sauce, salt, black pepper (to taste - agh! who knows?!  I used 3/4 tsp. for a triple recipe) and chili-flavored oil.


Stir until it's evenly combined.  Here's where you can taste it to see if you did ok with your pepper or if you overdid it.  If you overdid it, I have only one suggestion and it's completely my own so it might not work:  add more pumpkin.

Then, combine your flour, baking powder and baking soda.


Fold the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture.  The going could get a little rough, so make sure you're feeling strong.


It looks so bakerly, doesn't it.


This is what you're going to love!  No kneading, no rolling.  Just flour a surface and dump your dough onto it.


Pat it into a 1" high oval and commence with your biscuit cutter (or 2" glass).


You know the drill.  Start at the outsides.


Line these puppies up on ungreased baking sheets and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, until light golden brown.  They will puff up, not out much, so just make sure you give them about an inch breathing space.


Brush the tops with milk to give them a little glaze.


And lookie here, you have big Cheez- I mean, Pumpkin Scones!  Delicious with coffee or milk!


I tripled the recipe to feed a crowd, but here's the single-recipe (makes 12 scones) version.

Pumpkin Scones
by Nigella Lawson in BHG October 2010

3/4 c. canned pumpkin puree
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 c. butter, melted
1 egg
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
ground white pepper or black pepper, to taste
2 tsp. chili-flavored oil
1 2/3 c. all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
milk

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a large bowl combine the pumpkin puree, Parmesan, melted butter, egg, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, and chili oil.  Stir well to mix.
2. In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder and baking soda. Fold into pumpkin mixture and stir until just combined into a dough.
3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface.  Pat to 1" thick oval.
4. Cut dough into scones using a round 2" biscuit cutter dipped in flour. Place scones 1" apart on ungreased cookie sheet.  Reform dough and repeat.  You should get 12 scones.
5. Brush tops of scones with milk to glaze.  Bake for 15 minutes or until golden.  Cool slightly.  Eat warm with butter if desired.
For directions on freezing dough or baked scones, just head over to the BHG website.  This retyping information feels too much like secretarial work for a Saturday!

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