WHITE CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN SCONES

My neighbor, Sheri, who just moved would bring these by on cold, snowy winter days. They would still be warm from the oven and were soooo yummy! Before leaving she gave me the recipe...

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup light or dark brown sugar

1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/3 cup chopped white chocolate

1/4 cup chopped and toasted pecans (optional)

1/3 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup fresh or canned pure pumpkin (if using canned pumpkin make sure there are no spices or sugar added)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Egg Wash:

1 large egg

1 tablespoon milk or cream

Turbinado sugar for sprinkling the tops of the scones (optional)

Step 1: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. and place rack in middle of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut the butter into small pieces and blend into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs.

Step 3: Stir in the chopped white chocolate and pecans, if using.

Step 4: In a medium bowl mix together the buttermilk, pumpkin puree and vanilla and then add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture. Mix just until the dough comes together. Do not over mix the dough.

Step 5:Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead dough gently four or five times and then pat the dough into a circle that is about 7 inches round and about 11/2 inches thick. Cut this circle in half, then cut each half into 3 pie-shaped wedges (triangles).

Step 6:Place the scones on prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops of the scones with the egg wash and sprinkle a little Turbinado sugar on top, if desired.

Step 7:Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

The white chocolate pumpkin scone recipe makes 6 scones. Top with clotted cream.

Mock Clotted Cream:

1/2 Cup Sour Cream

1/2 tsp Vanilla

1/2 Cup Heavy Cream

2 TBSP Conectioners Sugar