Tag: british scones

Peach and Nutmeg Scones with Honey-Vanilla Icing

There are certain recipes that resonate with me, scones being one of them. This rote recipe is a favorite in our household. Often, I would experimentally trade out ingredients based on what lies at hand. This is an especially useful trick of the trade, as I like to bake seasonably. This week, it happened to be that peaches were on sale, and fall weather was present in my mind. I reached for the nutmeg on my minimalist spice rack from Evermill (the only one a person needs), and decided to add something sweet, cozy honey-vanilla icing on top. The scones ended up feeling like a warm hug, as my husband and I devoured one straight out of the the oven. Might I suggest pairing with a chai latte, or your favorite PSL? Light a candle to amp up the hygge.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for dusting.
  • 3 tbsp. sugar, plus additional for sprinkling
  • 1 tbsp. baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tbs unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled
  • 1 cup diced peaches
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream plus extra for brushing.
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Cinnamon for sprinkling

Useful Baking Tools

The Process:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 F with a rack in the center.
  2. Sift the flours, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter pieces and with thumb and pointy finger, flatten the butter, pinching floury bits into it. Alternatively, you can use two knives to cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles small peas.
  3. Stir in the peaches.
  4.  Whisk the eggs together in a separate bowl. Add heavy cream and vanilla to the egg mixture and whisk again until well mixed.
  5. Stir the egg mixture into the flour mixture with a fork, mixing until just combined. I l liken the end result to one big, shaggy mess.
  6. Lightly dust a clean work surface (I use a marble pastry slab, but a wooden surface works well too), with flour. Turn the dough onto this surface and knead until just combined. If the dough is too wet, add more flour to get the right consistency. It should be a bit crumbly.
  7. Shape the dough into a square (6 inch x 6 inch). Cut the dough into four 3-inch squares, then cut the smaller squares into triangles.
  8. Arrange the scones on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the tops with heavy cream using a pastry brush. Sprinkle the tops generously with sugar and cinnamon.
  9. Bake for 16-18 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Transfer the scones to a rack and cool for 5 minutes. Serve warm.

Honey-Vanilla Icing (optional)

I learned my icing recipe working midnight shifts as an early morning baker for Rye Goods. It’s a straight-forward base recipe of confectioner’s sugar, flavoring, and a form of liquid. I like to eyeball for consistency but for my beginner bakers, this recipe works in our situation.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons milk

The Process:

  1. Place all ingredients in a Kitchen Aid stand mixer with the whisk attachment.
  2. Whisk at setting 4 until the consistency is runny, like melted sour cream.
  3. Use a spatula, spoon, or knife to drizzle over your cooled scones. If you want to get particular, use a pipette.

In this recipe, I chose nutmeg and cinnamon but you can definitely make this your own. Ginger or cardamom would also make great alternatives for peaches. Likewise, you could choose apple or apricots. My favorite thing about scones is that the recipe is so easy to change. Definitely check out my other scone recipes:

I hope you enjoyed this! And for the curious, the bowl is from East Fork Pottery, an affiliate that I’ve been boasting about forever and ever.

Related posts:

Buckwheat Blueberry Pancakes Rye Strawberry Thyme Scones Cheddar and Herb Scones