Last week was rough for a number of reasons. But there were a few bright spots:
- Taking a day off from work to make braised oxtails, lasary legioma (tomato relish) and geelrys (yellow rice)
- Digging into a pint of cantaloupe ice cream (so fruity and refreshing!) from Garden Creamery
- Visiting with my parents and almost 3-year old nephew and watching their faces light up while sampling these homemade apple pie scones
Apple pie scones are irresistible. They’re buttery, tender and perfectly sweet – everything a good pastry should be. In fact, my nephew nearly devoured an entire scone, so I think it’s fair to say they were a hit. Don’t believe me? Bake a batch and judge for yourself.
Recipe adapted from Dinner With Julie.
Apple Pie Scones
Makes 7 scones
Ingredients
Apple filling:
- 2 medium apples, peeled, cored and cut into ¼"-thick slices
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Dough:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
- ¾ cup buttermilk (see notes)
- 2 tablespoons honey
Finish:
- buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon Demerara sugar
Instructions
Make the apple filling:
- Toss the apple slices with lemon juice, granulated sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
Make and bake the scones:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the butter and rub it into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it resembles coarse meal.
- In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk and honey; mix well. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir until just combined.
- Turn out dough onto a lightly floured work surface and pat into a ¾"-thick rectangle. Fold the dough in half, turn it 90 degrees and pat into a ¾"-thick rectangle. Repeat the process 2 more times, flouring your work surface as necessary to prevent sticking.
- Spread the apple filling in the center third of the rectangle. Fold one long edge of the dough over the apple filling to cover it and pat down firmly. Fold the other long edge of the dough on top and pat down firmly.
- Using a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut the dough into 7 wedges and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Freeze scones for 15 minutes.
- Remove scones from the freezer and brush tops with buttermilk. Sprinkle with Demerara sugar.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
I rarely buy buttermilk because it's so easy to make with ingredients you likely have on hand. Just pour 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar in a measuring cup and add enough milk or half-and-half (for a richer flavor) to hit the 1-cup line. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes until curdled.
