Apple Scone Cake

Apple Scone Cake

from joyofbaking.com

2 c flour

½ c sugar

1 t baking powder

¼ t salt

½ c (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces

2 large eggs

½ c milk, divided

1 t vanilla extract

¾ pound (about 3 medium) Granny Smith or other cooking apples

2 T sugar plus a bit more

¼ t cinnamon

Peel and core apples and cut into ¾ to 1 inch cubes.  In small bowl toss apple pieces with 2 T sugar and cinnamon.  Set aside.

In another small bowl whisk together 1 egg and 1 T milk from the ½ cup.   Set this aside to use as glaze for top of cake.

In large bowl combine flour, ½ c sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Cut the butter pieces into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or 2 knives until it resembles coarse crumbs.  Whisk together remaining egg, milk, and vanilla, and add to the flour mixture.  Stir just until the dough comes together.  Do not overmix.

Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead gently 4 or 5 times.  Divide dough in half.  Butter (or spray with Pam) a 9 inch glass pie plate.  Pat one half of the dough onto the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate.  (I found this easier when I floured my hands.) Spread the prepared apple pieces evenly over the dough on the bottom of the pie plate.

On the floured surface, roll the remaining dough into a 9 inch circle.  Gently transfer to pie plate to cover apple layer.  With your fingers, seal the edges of the two layers of dough.  Brush the top with the egg and milk glaze and sprinkle with sugar.  Cut a few slits in the top of the dough to let steam escape.

Bake in preheated 350˚ oven for 40-45 minutes, or until the cake is nicely browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Best served warm with whipped cream or ice cream.

Pumpkin Scone

I admit it. I went to Starbucks yesterday and had this...and ate the whole thing...well, all of it but 2 bites..two very small bites...okay, two crumbs...
But anyway I came home and remembered I had pureed the last of my pumpkins and needed to use it. I hadn't froze it because there wasn't enough to mess with.

So I googled "Starbucks Pumpkin Scone" and there were about 236,000 results. I chose a recipe from RecipeZaar again since I have had luck with those before...Here is the recipe

Scone

2 cups flour
7 T sugar
1 T baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
1/4 t ground cloves (I use less as the cloves can be a bit overpowering)
1/4 t ground ginger
6 T cold butter
1/2 c pumpkin puree
3 T half and half (I used 1% because that is what I have)
1 large egg

Spiced Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar
2 T milk
1/4 t cinnamon
1/8 t nutmeg
1 pinch ginger
1 pinch cloves
(I just used my "Pumpkin Pie Spice" and just shook a bit into the bowl as I was mixing it)



Preheat oven 425F
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and spices in a large bowl.
Using a pastry knife cut butter into the dry ingredients until mixture is crumbly and no chunks of butter are obvious. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin, milk and egg.
Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients.
Form the dough into a ball (good luck with that as it is very sticky and wet)
Pat dough out onto a lightly floured surface and form it into a 1-inch thick rectangle (about 9 inches long and 3 inches wide).
Use a large knife or pizza cutter to slice the dough twice through the width making 3 equal portions.
Cut those 3 portions diagonally so that you have 6 triangular slices of dough.
Now, my scones turned out HUGE so if you can manage I would even cut those 6 triangles into 2 so that you have a total of 12 scones.
Place on cookie sheet (lined with parchment or lightly oiled)
Bake 14-16 minutes.
Scones should turn a light brown.
Place on wire wrack to cool.

To make the glaze

Mix powdered sugar, spices and milk until smooth.

Once scones are cooled drizzle with glaze.

Scones

The other day I was feeling like Strawberry Shortcake ... the way my Mom used to make it. Unfortunately, I have no idea how she used to make it and the time difference wasn't helping me at that particular moment ! So ... I had to improvise. I remembered these amazing scones my sister in law, Gina, taught me how to make. Topped with fresh strawberry's and freshly whipped cream. Delish !

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Here's how you make 'em :

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The Ingredients:

3 cups self raising flour

1 cup of thickened cream

1 cup of Sprite

The "how to's":

Put flour in bowl. Add cream. Add Sprite. Knife through ... you want the mixture mixed but don't work it too hard. Line cookie sheet with non-stick baking paper. Scoop mixture out of bowl onto cookie sheet. Spread around. ( it will rise in the oven !! ) Put into hot oven ( I have a fan forced oven so I did it on 220C ... that's about 430F ) The recipe said 15 minutes but mine was done in 10 !!!

That's it ! When it's done you will have a giant scone !! Cut it into whatever size pieces you want. Top with whatever you want ... jam, cream, fresh fruit ...