Makes 9 squares
Roll up your sleeves, bakers. It's time to flex baking muscles now that the cooler weather is here and turning on the oven feels cozy. These buttery, flaky scones, packed with cinnamon and pecans, have layers of spice from a little dough-folding action. Don't be afraid; it's not different from folding a piece of paper. Start by cutting cold butter into small cubes and then pinching them flat with your fingers into the dry ingredients. You can also use the paddle attachment for this if you have a stand mixer. Add cream and egg to the dry mix to form a shaggy dough, turn it out onto a work surface, and roll it into a large square. Brush the dough with melted butter, sprinkle it with chopped pecans and cinnamon-sugar, and fold it in half. Brush with more butter and sprinkle with more cinnamon. Fold in half once more and freeze it for 30 minutes. Then cut into squares and sprinkle with turbinado sugar (raw sugar), so they're golden and crunchy when baked, and the scent of cinnamon fills the house.
¼
cup granulated sugar
1½
tablespoons ground cinnamon
1. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon.
2. Mix well; set aside.
3
cups flour
¼
cup granulated sugar
1
tablespoon baking powder
¼
teaspoon baking soda
¾
teaspoon salt
10
tablespoons (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1
egg
1
cup heavy cream
1
teaspoon vanilla extract
2
tablespoons melted, unsalted butter
½
cup pecans, finely chopped
Extra flour (for rolling)
Extra heavy cream (for brushing)
2
tablespoons turbinado sugar or raw cane sugar (for sprinkling)
1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to blend them. Add the butter cubes and toss to separate and coat them. With your fingers, pinch the butter cubes to flatten them.
3. In a small bowl with a fork, beat the egg, cream, and vanilla until blended. Pour it over the dough. Use a rubber spatula to mix them until it forms a shaggy dough. If there are dry crumbs in the bowl, add more cream, 1 teaspoon at a time.
4. Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured counter. Press it together to form a cohesive dough. Roll it into a 10-inch square.
5. Brush the square with melted butter. Sprinkle it with the pecans and about 2 tablespoons of the cinnamon-sugar. With the rolling pin, lightly roll over the dough to press the pecans into it.
6. Fold the dough in half to form a rectangle. Position it so the short side of the rectangle is facing you. Flatten slightly with the rolling pin. Brush with more melted butter and sprinkle generously with more cinnamon-sugar. Fold the edge closest to you up to meet the top edge. You now have a square again. Roll the dough into an 8-inch square that is about 1-inch thick. Set it on the parchment-lined sheet. Freeze for 30 minutes.
7. Set the oven at 400 degrees.
8. Using a bench scraper or a large chef's knife, make 2 evenly spaced cuts in both directions (4 cuts total) to form 9 squares.
9. Place the scones 1/2 inch apart on the baking sheet. Brush with cream and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. Transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm.
CINNAMON-SUGAR
DOUGH
Sally Pasley Vargas
Makes 9 squares
Roll up your sleeves, bakers. It's time to flex baking muscles now that the cooler weather is here and turning on the oven feels cozy. These buttery, flaky scones, packed with cinnamon and pecans, have layers of spice from a little dough-folding action. Don't be afraid; it's not different from folding a piece of paper. Start by cutting cold butter into small cubes and then pinching them flat with your fingers into the dry ingredients. You can also use the paddle attachment for this if you have a stand mixer. Add cream and egg to the dry mix to form a shaggy dough, turn it out onto a work surface, and roll it into a large square. Brush the dough with melted butter, sprinkle it with chopped pecans and cinnamon-sugar, and fold it in half. Brush with more butter and sprinkle with more cinnamon. Fold in half once more and freeze it for 30 minutes. Then cut into squares and sprinkle with turbinado sugar (raw sugar), so they're golden and crunchy when baked, and the scent of cinnamon fills the house.
CINNAMON-SUGAR
| ¼ | cup granulated sugar |
| 1½ | tablespoons ground cinnamon |
1. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon.
2. Mix well; set aside.
DOUGH
| 3 | cups flour |
| ¼ | cup granulated sugar |
| 1 | tablespoon baking powder |
| ¼ | teaspoon baking soda |
| ¾ | teaspoon salt |
| 10 | tablespoons (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes |
| 1 | egg |
| 1 | cup heavy cream |
| 1 | teaspoon vanilla extract |
| 2 | tablespoons melted, unsalted butter |
| ½ | cup pecans, finely chopped |
| Extra flour (for rolling) | |
| Extra heavy cream (for brushing) | |
| 2 | tablespoons turbinado sugar or raw cane sugar (for sprinkling) |
1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to blend them. Add the butter cubes and toss to separate and coat them. With your fingers, pinch the butter cubes to flatten them.
3. In a small bowl with a fork, beat the egg, cream, and vanilla until blended. Pour it over the dough. Use a rubber spatula to mix them until it forms a shaggy dough. If there are dry crumbs in the bowl, add more cream, 1 teaspoon at a time.
4. Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured counter. Press it together to form a cohesive dough. Roll it into a 10-inch square.
5. Brush the square with melted butter. Sprinkle it with the pecans and about 2 tablespoons of the cinnamon-sugar. With the rolling pin, lightly roll over the dough to press the pecans into it.
6. Fold the dough in half to form a rectangle. Position it so the short side of the rectangle is facing you. Flatten slightly with the rolling pin. Brush with more melted butter and sprinkle generously with more cinnamon-sugar. Fold the edge closest to you up to meet the top edge. You now have a square again. Roll the dough into an 8-inch square that is about 1-inch thick. Set it on the parchment-lined sheet. Freeze for 30 minutes.
7. Set the oven at 400 degrees.
8. Using a bench scraper or a large chef's knife, make 2 evenly spaced cuts in both directions (4 cuts total) to form 9 squares.
9. Place the scones 1/2 inch apart on the baking sheet. Brush with cream and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. Transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm.