Maple Pecan Scones
Weekend mornings I usually try to make my family something special for breakfast. (There is just so much cereal, toast, or oatmeal one can take.) My daughters are at the age where having sleepovers are a popular request. So, while they are still sound asleep in the morning after a long night of socializing, I am awake enjoying my morning cup of coffee and making that "special weekend breakfast." My kid's favorite and their guests most requested breakfast and recipe is no, not pancakes, although they are good too, it is MAPLE PECAN SCONES. My recipe is from "The Cheese Board: Collective Works" cookbook, The Cheese Board is a member owned and operated collective cheese shop and pizzeria in Berkeley California across the street from another of my food institution favorites, Alice Water's Chez Panisse Restaurant and Cafe. My family and I actually visited the Cheese Board after having lunch at Chez Panisse. We wanted to pick up some cheese for a picnic, but ended up buying not only cheese, but bread, pizza and scones. It was years later that my husband surprised me with the "Cheese Board: Collective Works" cookbook. I have made many of the scone recipes and pizza from the book, it is another of my treasured cookbooks with recipes that have never disappointed.
Another secret that makes these scones oh so good, is the pecans. Every Christmas we receive a gift of a 1 gallon container of toasted pecans from Tennessee Valley Pecan Co. http://www.tennesseevalleypecan.com. These pecans are freshly toasted and really add a roasted pecan flavor to the scones.
Maple Pecan Scones
adapted from The Cheese Board: Collective Works
Makes 12-14 scones
3 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) cold, unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

1 1/4 cups toasted/roasted pecans, chopped after roasting

3/4 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup buttermilk

Glaze

2/3 cup real maple syrup

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, kosher salt, and sugar.

3. If using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment to mix in the butter cubes on low speed for about 4 minutes. By hand use a pastry cutter. Mix until the butter pieces are pea size.

4. Mix in the pecans.

5. Make a well in the middle of the mixture and add the cream and buttermilk. Mix only until the ingredients come together, you will have some flour at the bottom of the bowl.

6. Use a spring loaded ice cream scooper (I used 2 1/4 inches diameter) to make rustic shaped balls of dough, space them about 2 inches apart on the lined baking sheets.

7. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 25-30 minutes.

8. 5 minutes before the scones are done, mix maple syrup and powdered sugar together for the glaze. Set aside.

9. When scones are done, transfer to a cooling rack and cool for 10 minutes. Spoon a tablespoonful of maple glaze on each scone. (put newspaper underneath scones to catch over flow of glaze).

10. Wake up kids and enjoy with another cup of coffee.