Monday, September 8, 2008

An Early Taste of Fall: Pumpkin Chocolate Scones

Pumpkin Scone Tower

I need bread in the morning and so do my kids. My husband can take it or leave it. What is wrong with that man? I think it's genetic... Luckily, this may be the only thing we do not have in common-- Well that, and the fact that he is a night owl and I am a morning person. Our children, poor souls, take after me. So in the morning as I try desperately to inhale my coffee, they open their little beaks and start making little hungry sounds. On a good day, I am prepared with some homemade bread ready for the toaster. There are, however, those mornings where not a crumb is left and I need something fast to feed to them.

Muffins are great but scones are even better. It's like eating a cookie for breakfast. It goes so well with the warm gulps of coffee. The combination is just lovely.

Growing up in France, pumpkin was not a part of my diet but I'm quite fond of it. What is not to love?

Pumpkin Puree

It's orange, starchy, so satisfying and goes beautifully with all kinds of spices, as well as chocolate.

So in the spirit of all things orange and delicious, I give you a new family recipe: Pumpkin Chocolate Scones.

Pumpkin Scones  and Ingredients


Pumpkin Chocolate Scones (11 scones)
As usual, if you are not concerned with your gluten or wheat intake, you can replace the brown rice flour, tapioca starch and sorghum flour with 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour and 1 1/2 cup of all purpose, as well as omit the xantham gum.

Ingredients Pumpkin Scones

Dry Ingredients:

1 cup brown rice flour
1 cup tapioca starch
1/2 cup sorghum flour
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon xantham gum
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup turbinado sugar or other granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Wet Ingredients:

1 cup pumpkin puree, canned okay
1 large egg, beaten
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons lowfat milk or soy milk

Add Ins:

1/4 cup roasted walnut oil, or canola oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
1/4 cup walnut pieces
1/4 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven 400F.
Oil cookie sheet.

Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Mix all the wet ingredients in a small bowl.

Pour oil into the flour mixture, then butter. Combine with your fingers until nice and crumbly. Make a well in the middle.
Pour the liquid mixture into the well and work in by mixing with a spoon until just combined. Add walnut pieces and chocolate chips and mix in.
Using 1/4 cup measuring cup, drop batter onto the prepared cookie sheet. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a rack to cool for ten minutes.

Other quick recipes for breakfast:
Orange Blueberry Muffins
Candied Orange Muffins with Rosemary

20 comments:

LizNoVeggieGirl said...

I'll take a dozen of those, please ;0)

Anonymous said...

LORDY! LORDY! I've died and gone to culinary heaven. I'm TOTALLY making these!!!!

rachel said...

Mon Dieu! Alexa- those look so good! Like something I would see in a little bakery in Vermont. Perfect for the upcoming autumn season.

vb said...

These look great! I don't have a gluten intolerance but I will make these as you've written the recipe because I know they will be good!

Patricia Scarpin said...

Alexa, I am nothing without bread in the morning - these look so good!

Anonymous said...

this looks delicious. i love pumpkin & chocolate together and i love scones. awesome.

Anonymous said...

This time your V-E-R-Y generous! Your scones are huge! It looks like you've got the perfect size for something so tasteful!! :)

Deeba PAB said...

Wish I was there now Alexa...my beaks open too...chirp chirp! Delicious post...can I work with fresh pumpkin? We dont get it canned here...xoxoxo

Dee said...

Alexa, it's been waaay too long since I've baked some pumpkin bread. Your muffins would be perfect for breakfast (and lunch and dinner), especially with the chocolate. Why the Xanthan gum? That's going to be tough to locate I think.

Alexa said...

veggiegirl,
wish I could deliver them to you ;-)

Katie,
My idea of heaven too...

Rachel,
I have been wanting to go to Vermont for a while... It sounds like I would be happy there.

VB,
They are great with the alternate flours but they would be delicious with the wheat ones too. I personally, love how diverse my diet is because of my wheat intolerance. It's so much fun to experiment with new flavors and textures. Enjoy the scones!

Patricia,
A girl after my own heart... :-)

slice of sueshe,
I am glad you liked them!

Leonor,
I think the shot made them look huge. They were pretty average in size but oh sooo delicious.

Passionate about baking,
Here's the link to a good technique for making pumpkin puree:
Pumpkin Puree

Dee,
Xantham is used as a binding agent in with flours that do not contain gluten. It duplicates gluten's binding effect on ingredients. However, if you don't have such issues, you can omit it and replace 1/2 the flour with an all purpose wheat flour instead. The wheat all purpose should give the scones enough gluten and the missing xantham won't be an issue. I hope this information clarifies things a bit for you.

Cheers,
Alexa

Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

OMG, those Scones look beautiful! A wonderful recipe that I'm going to keep!

Cheers,

Rosa

Clumbsy Cookie said...

These are just too good! So autumny! What a soft lovely color! I also saw some pumpkin cokies today and I was thinking the only sweet thing I had with pumpkin were some beignets that my grandma use to make. they were delicious and I'm sure your scones are as well!

Jeanine - The Baking Beauties said...

Mmm...those look delicious! I can almost smell them! These are definitely on my "to try" list. Thanks! :)

Anonymous said...

This looks delicious, and the pumpkin makes them so healthy!

Dewi said...

Alexa,
That's look very pretty, I love the photos too.
Pumpkin! it makes me feel that summer is almost over. Looking forward to make pumpkin bread, pumkin soup, pumpkin pie, and off course your gorgeous looking pumpkin scones!
Do you know that pumpkin ic consider a super food too, that, off course if you eat it just plain! Ha..ha..

Anonymous said...

Lovely scones Alexa! Pumpkin puree works really well in baking - such a natural with warm autumn spices.

I make something similar but with oats and butternut squash and they always go down really well.

Cannelle Et Vanille said...

nothing says fall like pumpkin... i want some!

Apples and Butter said...

Scones are one of my favorite breakfast items. The warm bread with a little jam and your morning coffee is delicious! Great recipe!

CECIL said...

Hm..have never made pumpkin scones before! I should think about this for Fall/Thanksgiving related brunch. Adore the presentation - stacked with ribbons! Mmmhhmmhh

Autumn said...

I just found your blog today, and I'm hooked! :) I think I'm going to make these scones TONIGHT. mmmmm.

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