This is the best scone you will ever make. It is so light and tender due to the addition of cake flour. You will want to double or triple this recipe so everyone can have one. They go very quickly since they are satisfying but do not sit in your stomach like a dense biscuit. My daughter had five scones one morning and still wanted more.

Serve them for breakfast, for an afternoon snack or dessert along with a pumpkin latte, chai tea or a tall glass of milk. You can pop some of the frozen dough in the oven when a friend or neighbor drops by to visit or for a scheduled play date. Adults and kids love these and everyone will be very impressed with your baking skills.

I adapted the Plain Scone recipe from the Thomas Keller and Sebastien Rouxel Bouchon Bakery to create these pumpkin scones. Instead of using creme fraiche, I substituted fresh pumpkin puree and sprinkled coconut palm sugar over the top to compliment the rich pumpkin flavor. You can use large sugar crystals but I highly recommend trying the coconut palm sugar for the taste as well as lower glycemic index.

These instructions look intimidating but these are quite simple to make. The amount of detail in the instructions makes this the perfect recipe for someone learning to bake. The dough needs to set up in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before you can cut out the scones. Then you freeze the scones and pull them out as needed. Definitely freeze the dough; it makes a huge difference in the texture.

One more thing I need to mention is the measurements. Professional bakers weight everything for consistency and quality control. Weighting is always the best method and makes the clean up is so much easier. I have provided you with the measurements in weights and in cups as shown in the Bouchon Bakery Cookbook. They are very precise on their measurements. I know many people are learning to bake or cook and this will help you become a better cook. If you are looking for a scale, Edlund is the one most pastry chefs prefer. I love mine.

If you do not have a scale, then use the dip and scoop method for measuring the flour. Scooping your measuring cup into the flour bag will give you more flour than if you spoon the flour into the measuring cup. I always recommend using Organic King Arthur unless the recipe specifies another brand.

Directions

(adapted from the Bouchon Bakery)

1) Place the all-purpose flour in a bowl and sift in the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and cane sugar. Fit the mixer with a paddle attachment and mix on the lowest setting for 15 seconds to combine. Stop the mixer and add the cold butter cut into 1/4″ pieces. Pulse on the lowest setting so the flour does not fly out of the bowl and gradually increase the speed to low and mix for 3 minutes. The butter will break into small balls and incorporate into the flour mixture. If there are still some large balls of butter, break them up with your hands. You do not want to over mix the batter because the more you mix, the tougher the dough will become.

3) Turn the mixer on low again and slowly pour in the cream. Add the pumpkin purée and mix for 30 seconds until all the dry ingredients are moistened and all the dough sticks together on the paddle. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and pulse again to get any remaining ingredients.

4) Mound the dough on a large piece of wax paper placed on top of a rectangular baking dish. Place another piece of wax paper on top of the dough and press down to flatten and create a 6 x 9 inch block. Remove the dough still sandwiched between the wax paper and place on a baking sheet. Flatten the top with a rolling pin to have a smooth surface. Press the wax paper down to seal the dough or fold the wax paper under the dough. Place the dough in the refrigerator and chill until firm for at least 2 hours. You can continue to mold the dough into a rectangle while it is chilling. Unless you have a straight edge, it is hard to get the shape perfect.

5) Remove from the refrigerator. Use a sharp chef knife to cut a straight edge on the 6 x 9 rectangle. Remove the outside edges and save to reshape into irregular shaped scones (you do not want to waste any of this dough). Bouchon Bakery recommends cutting the dough lengthwise into thirds and then crosswise in half. Then cut on the diagonal of every square to create 12 triangular shaped scones. I cut the dough in thirds lengthwise as well as crosswise to bake smaller scones. I baked 18 scones instead of a dozen which works well with little kids. You decide what you prefer.

Separate the scones and place on a parchment lined baking sheet covered with the wax paper or in a freezer safe glass container. Place the scones in the freezer overnight. This is very important!

6) Preheat the oven to 325 convection and 350 degrees standard. Remove the scones from the freezer and place on a parchment or Silpat lined baking sheet. Brush the tops with cream. Sprinkle coconut palm sugar over the tops and place in the oven. Bake for 15-18 minutes convection or 25-28 minutes standard until golden brown. Let cool slightly on a cooling rack.

7) Serve the scones warm with your favorite coffee, tea or a tall glass of milk. Try some with a homemade pumpkin spice latte. It is the perfect afternoon treat. Enjoy!

Notes: I recommend making 2 or 3 batches of these scones and bake them as needed. They will last in the freezer for 1 month.

Why You Want to Eat This!

Pumpkin

• Anti-inflammatory properties in the beta-carotene to help with joint inflammation and arthritis. May help back pain.
• Vitamin A,C and E may make your skin glow and reduce wrinkles.
• High carotenoid content which fights free radicals in the body to prevent cancer and premature aging.
• The luteirn and Zeaxanthin protects the eyes and tissues to prevent cataracts and degeneration.
• Vitamin A- boost your immune system
• Potassium- prevent cardiovascular disease and hypertension
• Zinc- bone density for osteoporosis, immune and reproductive health
• Magnesium- relaxes the body and muscles, helps process calcium
• Phytosterols can lower risk of prostate cancer.
• May prevent kidney stones
• L-tryptophan has a chemical compound that makes you happy!

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