Pumpkin Scones

This is a recipe I am still playing with.  Check back in a couple days for an update.

Pumpkin Scones

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cake flour (not self-rising)

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

3/4 teaspoon salt

4 ounces (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 cup pumpkin

1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk

1 large egg, plus 1 large egg lightly beaten for egg wash

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Fine sanding sugar, for sprinkling

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2.Whisk together flours, granulated sugar, baking powder, spices and salt in a large bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter, or rub in with your fingers, until mixture has the texture of coarse meal. Stir in pumpkin.

3.Whisk together buttermilk, 1 egg, and the vanilla. Drizzle over flour mixture, and stir lightly with a fork until dough comes together but a small amount of flour remains in bowl.

4.Turn out dough onto a work surface, and gently knead dough once or twice just to incorporate flour. Pat dough into a 12 inch rectangle. Cut into 12 wedges. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Brush with egg wash, and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake until golden brown and cooked through, about 20 minutes. Transfer scones to wire racks to cool. Scones are best served immediately but can be frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw, and reheat in a 350-degree oven for 10 minutes.

That Cinnamon Roll Recipe

Just a reminder to those who have been asking, "What cinnamon recipe did you make?"  My homeschooing friend passed this great site over to me, Pioneer Girl who is a foodie and fellow homeschooler.  Check out this recipe, its awesome and the maple glaze was what I used on my pumpkin cake and plan to use for another dessert next week or so.  I made a half batch to try and my kiddos insisted we give half to our neighbor who had been brining over some filipino dishes to share. 

One suggestion:  I used a cake pan to cook one pan, but I highly reccomend a regular old pie pan, like the extra Marie Calendar ones you have been saving from a million Thanksgivings.  The slanted sides help the middle cinnamon rolls cook better.  The cake pan seems to prevent it.

Here you go.  Beware, this is not for the thigh conscious woman!

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/06/cinammon_rolls_/

Pumpkin-Apple Bundt Cake

Here is how you make my new invention, the Pumpkin-Apple Bundt Cake...with left over maple glaze. This pumpkin bread is good alone, with or without dried cranberries and pecans. I think a bundt looks nice for dessert and I love saying "bundt" like the Greek Mama from My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

1. Occupy baby girl with blobs of yesterday's oatmeal for a snack and keep the packet of yeast she found on the counter.

2. Solicit labor from your eldest who enjoys cooking and baking. You need the help since baby girl wouldn't nap and you need to be out the door in 90 minutes.

3. Make Pumpkin-Apple Bundt Cake and drizzle with left over maple glaze from the cinnamon roll recipe you made earlier in the week. It was a late-night brainstorm.

4. Let your kids eat cake at 9pm after they get home from choir practice. Its a really good way for them to shower and get ready for bed in a flash.

Pumpkin Bread Recipe (really its cake-like as it has more sugar than most breads)

3 c. flour

2 c. sugar

2 t. baking soda

1 1/2 t. cinnamon

1/2 t. ground ginger

1/4 t. cloves

1/4 t. nutmeg

1 t. salt

1 1/2 t. baking powder

3 eggs, beaten

2/3 c. oil (I use canola)
2 c. pumpkin puree (fresh if you have the time and want to be like Martha)

Apple Filling

1 apple finely chopped

1/4 cup of finely chopped pecans

2 T. brown sugar

1 t. cinnamon

Maple Drizzle (this is half the recipe and you'll still have left overs)

1 box of powdered sugar

1 t. maple extract

1/8 c. of coffee

1/8 c. of milk

2 T of melted butter

Preheat oven to 350. Grease the big bundt pan or 2 large loaf pans if you just want bread. Mix dry ingredients in one bowl, wet in another bowl and combine with dry. Pour half of batter in bundt pan, add apple filling and top with the other half of batter. Bake for about 1 hr and 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before drizzling with maple glaze.