Cinnamon Apple Scones

By: Naomi Kohler, Culinary Institute of America Extern

Adapted from Taste of Home

*Makes 6 scones*

Scones are one of the oldest pastries ever made. They are a great way to use up leftover ingredients and still produce a baked good full of nutrients. Since apples are the Harvest of the Month for January, there are plenty to go around. This makes them the perfect addition to this breakfast favorite. Preparation is key to baking a perfect recipe. Make sure to read through each step before starting!

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Step 1:

Grate one medium apple (about ⅔ cup)

Picking out the perfect apple can be hard with all of the varieties out there. I found that a golden delicious works the best but any apple will taste great. This is also a great time to use up that apple with the large bruise or even just one that may have been sitting too long. All you do is peel it and grate it into your bowl. Don’t forget the apple skin you peeled off is still full of nutrients and makes a great mid baking snack!

Step 2:

In a separate bowl add all of the dry ingredients, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Then cut in the butter.

Now for the part where you get your hands dirty. Once all the dry ingredients are mixed together, you want to toss in quarter sized pieces of cold butter. Use your fingers to crumble those pieces around in the dry mixture until they are the size of a pea. This helps the dough to form flaky layers when the scones are put in the oven.

Step 3:

To the bowl with the apple, add the half and half, egg yolk, and vanilla.

Pour the dry ingredients into this mixture, and stir until just moistened.

Mixing these together can be done with a spoon or any tool of choice, I normally stick to a spatula to make sure everything is mixed. It is important to only wet the dry ingredients, as if they are mixed too long they might make the dough tough. Although like most things in baking that can be fixed in the next step.

Step 4:

Knead the dough 10 times on a floured surface. Then shape into a circle. This can get very, very sticky so be careful. Make sure to put flour on the counter and your hands, although this looks messy it will help the surface stay clean in the long run. A great tip is to always have a second person around in case the surface or your hands did not have enough flour. If that isn’t possible make sure to leave yourself a small bowl that you can reach into, this is known as “bench flour”. Only kneading the dough 10 times helps to make sure the dough is not tough. If you think that you mixed it too long in the last step you can always knead less, just make sure that all the flour is not visible.

A great way to judge how thick the circle should be is to use your finger. It should be about up to the first knuckle on your pointer finger, or you can make it however thick or skinny you want!

Step 5:

Cut the circle into 6 pieces, then place on a greased baking sheet and put into the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Caution: This step involves using a knife. Always make sure there is another person around. Now all that is left is portioning out the pieces. The best way to cut them is always going through the same center point, and cutting it just like a pizza. Then place them right on a baking sheet, spread about an inch apart, and into the oven. For a more clean look make sure to brush off any “bench flour” that may be left.

Step 6:

Enjoy them fresh!

The most fun part of any recipe is taking a step back and looking at all the hard work that was put into making these delicious treats. It is also important to remember the farmers who helped get the products to you! We are able to provide fresh, local apples to our community thanks to the farmers at Glorie Farms (Marlboro, NY).

For more recipes with Apples, head over to our Harvest of the Month Resource Hub!

Cinnamon Apple Scones

*Makes 6 scones*

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups whole wheat (or white) flour

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3 tablespoons cold butter

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons half-and-half

1 large egg yolk

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2/3 cup shredded peeled apple (1 medium apple)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

Grate the apple into a medium bowl.
In a small bowl, combine the flours, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
In a bowl with the apple , whisk the cream, egg yolk and vanilla; add to dry ingredients just until moistened.
Turn onto a floured surface; knead 10 times.
Pat into a 5-in. circle. Cut into 4 wedges. Separate wedges and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool for 10 minutes and enjoy!