Date Pecan Scones Food

DATE PECAN SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line a 12 x 18" (30 x 45 cm) baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Place the butter, both flours, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda into the bowl of a food processor (or use a pastry blender). Process until the mixture is very fine. Transfer to a large bowl and add the pecans and dates. Pour the cream and vanilla over the top. Mix with a fork until a crumbly dough forms.
• Turn onto a work surface. Press the mixture together very lightly - it should be fairly dry. Cut into twelve 2 1/2" rounds (7 cm) or eighteen 1 1/2" rounds (4 cm). Place on the prepared pan. Brush with cream and sprinkle with sugar.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden. Serve warm. Best served the day they are made.

MAPLE-PECAN SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt.
• Cut the cold butter into small pieces. Cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles crumbs.
• Now finely chop the pecans and stir them into the flour mixture. Mix the egg and cream together. Add the mixture to the bowl and stir until just combined.
• Turn the mixture onto a cutting board. The dough will be very crumbly, but do not let your heart be troubled. With your hands, push the mixture together into a large ball. Do not knead or press too much; you want to leave that gluten alone!
• With a rolling pin, very gently roll out the dough into a 10-inch round, about 3/4 inch thick. With a sharp knife, cut the round into 8 equal-size wedges.
• Transfer the wedges to a baking sheet lined with a Silpat baking mat. (Or just spray the pan with cooking spray; either one will work!) Bake the scones for 22 to 26 minutes, until they're just barely starting to brown. Do not allow the edges to become dark or the Red Coats will come and get you. Allow the scones to cool completely before icing.
• In a medium mixing bowl, stir the icing ingredients until smooth. Pour generously over the scones and sprinkle with pecans. Allow the icing to set before serving.

CHOCOLATE PECAN SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Arrange two racks evenly spaced in the oven. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.
• In a small bowl, combine the 3 tablespoons flour with the chocolate and pecans and set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the 4 cups flour, the sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter and, with the mixer on low speed, blend until the butter is the size of peas. Measure the cream in a 2-cup glass measuring cup, add the eggs, and beat until combined. With the mixer still on low, pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and combine just until blended. Add the chocolate and pecan mixture and mix just until combined. The dough will be very sticky.
• Dump the dough out onto a very well-floured surface and knead it a few times to be sure the chocolate and pecans are well distributed, adding a little flour so the dough doesn't stick to the board. Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough 3/4 to 1 inch thick. You should see lumps of butter in the dough. Cut the dough with a 3-inch plain round cutter and place the scones on the prepared sheet pans. Reroll the scraps and cut out more scones. Brush the tops with the egg wash, sprinkle with sugar, and bake for 20 minutes, switching the pans halfway through, until the tops are lightly browned and the insides are fully baked. Serve warm or at room temperature.

PEAR SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Sift together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl; cut in the butter until the mixture has a crumbly texture. Whisk together the egg and half-and-half in a separate bowl; stir the egg mixture into the flour mixture until combined; stir in the pear. Drop large spoonfuls of the dough onto an ungreased baking sheet.
• Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes; rest briefly on a cooling rack before serving.

DATE PECAN SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 12 x 18 inch pan with parchment paper. Whisk together flours, sugar, salt, baking powder and soda. Cut in butter with pastry cutter (or mix in the bowl of a food processor). Cut (or process) until mixture is very fine. If using a blender, transfer to a large bowl. Add pecans and dates. Mix cream and vanilla and pour over top of mixture. Mix with a fork until a crumbly dough forms. Can form into flat rounds - 12 (2.5 inch) or 18 (1.5 inch and place on bake sheet. (Recipe calls for turning dough onto work surface and pressing out dough and cutting rounds.) Brush with cream and sprinkle with sugar. Bake 20 min (18 rounds) or 25 min (12 rounds). Best served same day. Can be stored in air tight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Variations: Substitute dates and pecans with - orange rind zest and raisins - dried apricots, almonds, and almond extract (for vanilla) - dried chopped pears and 2 T finely chopped candied ginger.

STRAWBERRY PECAN SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400, use center rack.
• Combine first 5 ingredients in a mixing bowl and cut in margarine with a pastry blender till mixture looks like coarse meal. Add yogurt to dry ingredients, stirring till ingredients are just moistened (dough will be sticky).
• Turn dough out onto a floured surface; with floured hands, knead 4-5 times. Pat dough into an 8 inch circle on a baking sheet covered with cooking spray. Cut dough into 12 wedges, cutting to but not through bottom of dough. Make a small slit in the center of each wedge.
• Place 1 tsp of strawberry spread on top of each slit and sprinkle with pecans. Bake at 400 for 13-20 minutes or until golden. Serve warm.

CINNAMON DATE SCONES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in dates. Combine eggs and milk; stir into crumb mixture just until blended (dough will be soft)., Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Gently knead dough 10 times. Pat into a 9-in. x 6-in. rectangle. Using a floured knife, cut into six 3-in. squares; cut each square diagonally in half., Place on a greased baking sheet. Combine the cinnamon and remaining sugar; sprinkle over scones. , Bake at 400° for 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack. Serve warm.

OATMEAL DATE DROP SCONES

Steps:

• In a bowl whisk together the milk, the egg, the brown sugar, and the vanilla until the mixture is combined well. In another bowl stir together the flour, the oats, the baking powder, the baking soda, and the salt and blend in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Sir in the dates and the milk mixture until the mixture just forms a sticky dough. Drop the dough by 1/3-cup measures onto an ungreased baking sheet and bake the scones in the middle of a preheated 400°F. for 15 to 18 minutes, or until they are golden. (Alternatively the scones may be dropped onto a hot greased griddle and cooked over moderate heat, turning them, for 15 to 18 minutes, or until they are golden on both sides and cooked through.)