Pumpkin sage scones - moist buttery crumb, tender sugary crust, and the most delicious, delicate pumpkin flavor, perfumed with mild sage, nutmeg and cinnamon.
Course
Breakfast / Sweet
Prep Time15minutes
Cook Time25minutes
Total Time40minutes
Servings16mini scones
Calories145kcal
Authoradapted from The Food52 Cookbook
Ingredients
2cupsunbleached all-purpose flour
1/2cuppumpkin puree(I used homemade butternut squash puree)
6Tbsbrown sugar,plus more for sprinkling
6Tbscold unsalted butter,cut into small cubes
1egg,plus 1 egg yolk for brushing
1/3cupheavy cream
1Tbsbaking powder
1/2tspsalt
1/2tspcinnamon
1/2tspnutmeg
1/4tspground cloves
1/4tspground ginger
2tspfinely chopped fresh sage,plus more for decorating
a handful of chopped walnuts(optional)
a handful of grated smoked cheese(optional)
Instructions
To make the pumpkin puree, see instructions in this post, or use store-bought pumpkin puree.
Preheat your oven to 400 F.
Add the flour, sugar, spices, baking powder and salt to a food processor and pulse a few times to mix well.
Add the cubed butter and pulse 8 times (1-second pulses) until the butter is still visibly chunky. Transfer to a bowl.
In a separate bowl mix the egg, cream and pumpkin pure.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and lightly mix, until the dough just comes together. Do not knead the dough, just barely mix until you can form a ball. You need to see the butter chunks, as they will provide the tender, buttery interior.
Transfer the dough to a floured surface and divide into two equal portions. Add chopped walnuts to one portion, and shredded smoked cheese to the other (if using).
Form two disks, 4 inches (10 cm) in diameter, 3/4 inch (2 cm) thick, then cut into 8 equal triangles.
Brush the triangles with beaten egg yolk, and sprinkle coarse brown sugar on top.
Optionally, place a sage leave or a walnut piece on top.
Put the scones on a cookie sheet, lined with parchment paper, and bake in the middle rack of the oven for 20-25 minutes.