Apple and Spice Scones

By cheshire255


1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
½ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
¾ tsp cream of tartar
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground ginger
generous dash ground nutmeg
generous dash ground mace
½ cup unsalted butter, chilled
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
¾ cup chopped dried apples
1/3 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1/3 cup currants or raisins

• Preheat oven to 375 F. Lightly butter a baking sheet.
• In a large bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, whole-wheat flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and mace.
• Cut the butter into ½ inch cubes and distribute them over the flour mixture. With a pastry blender or two knives used scissors fashion, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• In a small bowl, stir together the buttermilk, egg, and vanilla. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and stir to combine. The dough will be sticky. Stir in the apples, nuts, and currants until evenly distributed.
• Using a 1/3 cup measuring cup, drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 3 inches between scones.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center of a scone comes out clean.
• Remove the baking sheet to a wire rack and cool for 5 minutes. Using a spatula, transfer the scones to the wire rack to cool. Serve warm, or cool completely and store in an airtight container.
• Makes approximately 10 scones.


Apple Butter Spread

¼ cup apple butter
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
¼ tsp vanilla extract
dash ground cinnamon

• Place the cream cheese, apple butter, vanilla, and cinnamon in the container of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process for 20 seconds, or just until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the container, if necessary.
• Scrape the spread into a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until slightly firm. 
• Makes approximately 2/3 cup.