Glazed MAPLE PECAN SCONES
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar ~or~ plain white Splenda (not baking blend)
2-1/2 tsp. baking powder……………………………..…..1/2 tsp. salt
6 TB cold butter………………………………………..…......5 TB heavy cream or half-and-half
1 egg…………………………………………………..……..........1/2 tsp. maple extract
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans (if you coarse chop them, the scones will be harder to cut later)
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Optional: 1-2 TB Sparkling or coarse sugar (or white Splenda)
4-5 TB heavy cream
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3/4 cup powdered sugar ~or~ 1/2 cup Splenda whisked with 1/4 cup cornstarch
2 tsp. maple syrup (can be sugar-free)
milk or flavored liquid coffee creamer (Butter Pecan, Crème Brulee, Caramel) ~ as needed
Optional: pecan slivers or halves as garnish.
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Preheat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until combined. (Or, I just pulse them a few times in food processor). Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs (or, then add the butter cubes to the food processor, and pulse quickly until coarse crumbs).
In a small bowl, whisk together the cream, egg, maple extract. Stir into wet ingredients into flour mixture just until moistened. (I put this into the food processor with rest of ingredients, and pulse in short bursts until it all comes together). Then quickly pulse in the nuts.
Turn onto lightly floured surface; knead gently 6-8 times. Pat into 8” circle and cut into 8 wedges. Brush 4-5 TB heavy cream on top of the scones. Sprinkle with Sparkling sugar.
Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Best when warm (can be reheated for about 10 sec. in microwave). When they’re cool, you can drizzle with glaze.
GLAZE: Put the powdered sugar into a small bowl. Whisk in maple syrup, then liquid coffee creamer (1 tsp. at a time), until it’s a thick, smooth consistency. (Adjust consistency by adding more sugar/powder until smooth, slightly thickened.) If you glaze HOT scones, it will be a clear, shiny glaze ~ if you glaze them cold, it will be white.