VANILLA MAPLE SCONES

Perfectly delicious for a lazy Saturday morning!

VANILLA MAPLE SCONES

SCONES
12 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cups plus 2 tablespoons of flour
1 tablespoon vanilla powder
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup buttermilk
GLAZE
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 teaspoons milk

TO MAKE SCONES
Heat oven to 350F. Butter and flour a baking sheet, set aside.
In a large bowl, stir together flour, vanilla powder, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut the butter into 1/2 inch pieces and add it to the dry mixture. Use your fingers to break down butter into small, pea size pieces. Stir in buttermilk until just combined.
Scrape the dough onto a well floured surface. If dough is too sticky to work with, fold in a little flour. Shape into a circle about 8 inches in diameter and 1 1/2 inches thick. Cut into 8 triangles and transfer to prepared baking sheet. Bake, rotating sheet halfway through until scones spring back to the touch, 23 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.
TO MAKE GLAZE
In a small bowl, stir together ingredients. Once scones have cooled, drizzle glaze on tops and let set.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Oprah Magazine, October 2011
www.oprah.com/food.html‎

PUMPKIN AND MOLASSES MUFFINS and PUMPKIN PIE MUFFINS

A pair of perfectly pleasant pumpkin muffin recipes.

PUMPKIN AND MOLASSES MUFFINS

2 cups flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
45 grams butter
3 tablespoons molasses
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup cooked, mashed pumpkin
pumpkin seeds

Heat oven to 375F.
Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon in a large bowl. Place butter, molasses, sugar and buttermilk in a pan and warm to melt butter. Whisk into pumpkin and pour into dry ingredients. Mix quickly until just combined, and spoon into greased or lined muffin tins. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and bake 18 to 20 minutes until just firm on top. Turn on to rack to cool.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from New Zealand House and Garden
www.nzhouseandgarden.co.nz/

PUMPKIN PIE MUFFINS

cooking spray
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons molasses
1/4 cup canola oil
2 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup buttermilk

Heat oven to 400F. Coat a 12 cup muffin pan with cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and spices.
In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, molasses, oil, and one of the eggs until combined. Add the other egg and whisk well.
Whisk in the pumpkin and vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the buttermilk, just until combined. Pour the batter into the prepared muffin pan, filling each one about 2/3rds full.
Tap the pan on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles. Bake until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of one of the muffins comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from USA Weekend, November 2012
www.usaweekend.com/section/FOOD04/Recipe-Archive‎