Maple Scones

Scones are supposed to be for breakfast, right?  I will get back to this question in a second.  My wife and I were driving up to Ann Arbor to bring the rest of our daughter’s stuff for school.  This was a chance for me to make, or should I say bake, a couple of her all time favorites.  The first of these is Maple Scones.  This recipe has a lot of butter.  So I substituted the heavy cream with condensed milk to lighten up the recipe a little.

Oh yea.  Is a scone a breakfast or a dessert?  Let’s start with the history of the scone.  It seems it is associated with Great Britain as one would expect.  The specific origin appears to be Scotland in the early 1500’s so says The Nibble.  The scone was started as a breakfast, a baked yeast idea.  It is only the creativity of bakers that has sparked a debate (maybe I am overstating the debate).  The addition of the maple topping makes this so sweet, you decide.

Maple Scones (adapted from the Pioneer Woman):
For the Scones:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
5 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled
1 large egg
3/4 cup evaporated condensed milk

For the Maple Icing:
1 pound powdered sugar
1/4 cup evaporated condensed milk
4 tbs butter, melted
2 tsp of strongly brewed coffee
Dash of salt
2 tsp  maple extract (go with extract, really intensifies the flavor)

Preheat oven to 350, and prepare a cookie sheet by spraying it with non-stick spray.  In a large bowl, mix your dry ingredients well.  Cut the cold butter into small pieces, place in to dry ingredients and cut the butter in to your flour mixture.

I used a pastry blender.   You are done cutting when the mixture resembles pebbles.  Whisk egg and condensed milk together, and then, add to mixture.  Stir until liquid and dry mixtures are just combined.  Transfer the dough to a cutting board.  Using your fingers, form a large ball with the dough, but do not over knead.

Now, using a rolling pin, roll the dough to about 1/4″ thick in a round shape.

Cut the round in to 8 equal pieces – pizza style.  Then, cut each piece again creating two triangles from each piece.  Place each scone on to your greased cookie sheet.  Bake for 20-24 minutes.

 

Do not let the edges get too brown!  Allow scones to cool on a cooling rack.

In the meantime, work on your maple glaze.  Combine all ingredients in a bowl, and mix until creamy.  Once the scones are cooled, drizzle your glaze over each scone.

I actually poured my glaze over the scones, really overdoing it.  Enjoy!