High Altitude Baking: Gingerbread Maple Scones

Gingerbread Maple Scones

Shadow and I managed to get our last hike in before the last storm started and now I have to shovel out so we can hike up in the fresh snow. I’ve been inside for days attempting to sort out glitches here on the Fawnskin Flyer. Wouldn’t you know, things are still crazy due to the transfer. The good news is that once it is done, I won’t have to worry about it…but now it has been a week!

Anyway, the weather had everyone nestled in. Down the road at least three of the neighbors were chopping wood.

Pia and Ron are back in town and she braved Stater Brothers market. Since most everyone was hunkered down waiting for the storm and probably craving something yummy, I thought I would share this recipe I got from a blogger that shared it over on Farm Girl Fare.

The recipe is actually from the Joy of Baking website but I love sneaking into Susan’s blog and reading about her experiments in baking and exploits on the farm.

I don’t include high altitude recipe adjustments with each recipe but click here to see some recommendations.

Gingerbread Maple Scone Recipe

These scones are an earthy brown with a dark and rich flavor that comes from the molasses and ground spices of cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Yum! (Note: I did not adjust baking powder or soda in this recipe.)

1 3/4 cups (245 grams) all purpose flour

3/4 cup (60 grams) old fashioned rolled oats

1/3 cup (72 grams) light brown sugar

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup (113 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Zest of 1 lemon (optional)

1/3 cup (35 grams) dried raisins (optional)

1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk

2 1/2 tablespoons unsulphured molasses

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Egg Wash:

1 large egg

1 tablespoon milk or cream

Maple Glaze:

1/2 cup (50 grams) sifted confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

1 – 2 teaspoons cream or milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) and place rack in middle of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, sugar, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut the butter into small pieces and blend into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. Stir in the lemon zest and dried raisins, if using. In a separate bowl mix together the buttermilk, molasses and vanilla and then add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture. Mix just until the dough comes together. Do not over mix the dough.

Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead dough gently four or five times and then pat the dough into a circle that is about 7 inches (18 cm) round and about 11/2 inches (3.75 cm) thick. Cut this circle in half, then cut each half into 3 pie-shaped wedges (triangles). Place the scones on the baking sheet. Make an egg wash of one well-beaten egg mixed with 1 tablespoon milk and brush the tops of the scones with this mixture. Sprinkle the tops of the scones with some rolled oats.

Place the baking sheet inside another baking sheet to prevent the bottoms of the scones from over browning. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

To Glaze: Mix together the glaze ingredients, adding more sugar or milk until you get the desired consistency. It needs to be thin enough that it can be drizzled over the tops of the cooled scones. With a spoon drizzle the glaze over the tops of the scones and let dry.

Makes 6-8 scones.



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This entry was posted on Monday, January 7th, 2008 and is filed under Baking & Cooking, Mountain Lake Resort.

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2 Responses to “High Altitude Baking: Gingerbread Maple Scones

  • 1
    HM
    January 10th, 2008 01:56

    GG I think it unfair for you to post recipes you haven’t had someone else sample.

    So, although there might be great risk involved (such as an expanding waistline), I hereby volunteer to be the Official Taste Tester for all recipes you post in the Fawnskin Flyer.

  • 2
    GG (Gossip Girl)
    March 5th, 2008 07:50

    @HM: You are sure silly.
    @Everyone reading: I tested this recipe and found that it worked better by reducing to 1/4 the baking soda and 1 3/4 baking powder PLUS I made smaller scones (12 instead of 6). The smaller portions somehow made the scones more consistent and moist…a good thing around these parts. Also, I used currants and then substituted 1tbsp lemon juice into milk instead of buttermilk–Fawnskin Market did not have buttermilk and this standard trick worked pretty well. Wondering…has anyone made them with buttermilk yet?