My friend, Amanda (She has a fantastic blog: Maple Alps) challenged me to create something delicious with apples. (You'll have to check out her Apple Cinnamon Rolls here!) I began to mentally flip through my cognitive recipe index. Hmm...apple pancakes? Apple pie squares? Apple salad? Apple scones? AH HA! Apple scones...with a luscious maple or caramel drizzle. That will be my contribution to your fall breakfast routine.
So, I created this recipe in an unusual way. I like the idea of caramel apple pie, so decided that I'd make a caramel sauce to toss the apples in before folding them into my dry ingredients. That worked well, until the moisture from the apples turned my caramel sauce into...well...NOT caramel sauce. Not to be deterred, I used my caramel apple "soup" and mixed everything together, gently patted the dough into a square (about 1-in. - 1 1/2-in. thick), and cut those babies into triangles. I laid them out on a lightly sprayed cookie sheet and baked them for about 15 minutes--or until they were beautifully golden brown on top and bottom.
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Apple Pie Scones (with toasted pecans)
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Mmmmm. We loved them! Even without a drizzle on top! I think I've made these every week for the last four weeks.
Here is your list of ingredients:
2 apples, peeled, sliced thin
3 Tb. Earth Balance, or other non-dairy margarine
3 Tb. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla, opt.
2 1/2 cups flour (I've made these half white/half whole wheat pastry flour and it's a beautiful thing. )
1 scant Tb. aluminum free baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tb. brown sugar
3 Tb. Earth Balance
Instructions:
1) Peel and slice apples of choice.
2) In a saucepan, over medium high heat, melt 3 Tb. Earth Balance with 3 Tb. brown sugar. Whisk until the brown sugar completely melts and incorporates with the margarine and a caramel-like substance emerges.
3) Add sliced apples to caramel mix and stir to combine well. Add lemon zest and cinnamon and mix. Vanilla goes in, too, if you're using it.
4) Allow to gently cook for a few minutes until apples are semi-soft. Turn off heat and set aside.
5) In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and 2 Tb. brown sugar. Whisk to combine.
6) Cut 3 Tb. Earth Balance into the flour mixture until it resembles pebbles.
7) Make a well in the center of dry ingredients, then pour in slightly cooled apple/caramel sauce.
8) Using a fork, stir apples and flour mix together until it forms a dough, then turn out onto your counter and lightly knead just two or three times until it all comes together. (You don't want to work it too much or the scones will be tough.)
9) Form the dough into a 8 x 8 square about 1 - 1 1/2 in. thick.
10) Using a large sharp knife, cut dough vertically into three strips, then horizontally into three strips, forming 6 pieces. Cut each of those pieces to form triangles.
11) Place each scone onto a lightly sprayed cookie sheet, allowing space between each for rising.
12) Bake at 415*F for about 18 minutes, or until scones are beautifully golden. Remove from pan and allow to cool on a cooling rack.
Yield: 18 small/medium scones
2 apples, peeled, sliced thin
3 Tb. Earth Balance, or other non-dairy margarine
3 Tb. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla, opt.
2 1/2 cups flour (I've made these half white/half whole wheat pastry flour and it's a beautiful thing. )
1 scant Tb. aluminum free baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tb. brown sugar
3 Tb. Earth Balance
Instructions:
1) Peel and slice apples of choice.
2) In a saucepan, over medium high heat, melt 3 Tb. Earth Balance with 3 Tb. brown sugar. Whisk until the brown sugar completely melts and incorporates with the margarine and a caramel-like substance emerges.
3) Add sliced apples to caramel mix and stir to combine well. Add lemon zest and cinnamon and mix. Vanilla goes in, too, if you're using it.
4) Allow to gently cook for a few minutes until apples are semi-soft. Turn off heat and set aside.
5) In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and 2 Tb. brown sugar. Whisk to combine.
6) Cut 3 Tb. Earth Balance into the flour mixture until it resembles pebbles.
7) Make a well in the center of dry ingredients, then pour in slightly cooled apple/caramel sauce.
8) Using a fork, stir apples and flour mix together until it forms a dough, then turn out onto your counter and lightly knead just two or three times until it all comes together. (You don't want to work it too much or the scones will be tough.)
9) Form the dough into a 8 x 8 square about 1 - 1 1/2 in. thick.
10) Using a large sharp knife, cut dough vertically into three strips, then horizontally into three strips, forming 6 pieces. Cut each of those pieces to form triangles.
11) Place each scone onto a lightly sprayed cookie sheet, allowing space between each for rising.
12) Bake at 415*F for about 18 minutes, or until scones are beautifully golden. Remove from pan and allow to cool on a cooling rack.
Yield: 18 small/medium scones
If you like these, you'll also want to try Crystal's homemade apple croissants at her beautiful blog: CW Design.
