Sweet, Spiced Pumpkin Scones with Whipped Cinnamon Butter

. October, 2015
Photography by Claire Aldous.
Sweet, Spiced Pumpkin Scones with Whipped Cinnamon Butter

These light scones are brimming with the sweet and spicy flavours of Halloween. Serve them slathered with the whipped cinnamon butter for a weekend treat. 

INGREDIENTS

1 recipe pumpkin puree, see below
1 cup milk 
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 cups plain flour
5 teaspoons baking powder
⅓ cup caster sugar
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
¾ teaspoon ground allspice
90 grams butter, chilled
2 large eggs, size 7
To finish
melted butter 
raw sugar
whipped cinnamon butter, recipe below


Pumpkin Puree
600 grams pumpkin, this is the unpeeled weight, you need 300 grams to cook


Whipped Cinnamon Butter
150 grams butter at room temperature
3 tablespoons golden syrup or maple syrup
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

METHOD

Pumpkin Puree

Peel and seed the pumpkin and cut into small chunks.

Micowave: Place on a large plate and cook until very soft.

Oven: Preheat to 180°C. Place in a lined baking dish, cover with foil and cook until very soft.

Mash the pumpkin with a fork until smooth. Cool before using. 


Cinnamon Butter

Beat everything together until light and fluffy.


Scones

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake

Stir the milk and lemon juice together and leave for 15 minutes. It will form curds. 

Put all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and combine well.

Grate in the cold butter using the coarse side of a box grater, then use your fingertips to rub it into the dry ingredients. Coat the piece of butter in the flour as this makes it easier to hold when grating.

Whisk the eggs and pumpkin puree together until well combined then stir in ¾ cup of the milk. 

Pour onto the flour mixture and bring everything together with a fork to make a soft dough, adding a little more milk if needed. 

Tip onto a lightly floured bench and form into a rectangle about 30cm long. Cut into 8-10 pieces and place on a lined baking tray.

Brush the tops with melted butter then sprinkle generously with raw sugar.

Bake for 20 minutes until risen and golden. Serve warm with the whipped cinnamon butter. Makes 8-10.

Pantry note: You need to use a dry fleshed pumpkin for the scones. Either buttercup or the grey skinned Crown pumpkin are best.