Cinnamon Roll Scones

Just when I was going to close the door on new scone recipes, this one had to come along! Actually, it's not a new recipe at all, but rather an alteration of the lemon blueberry scone recipe I already have. The wheat flour makes the scone less sweet overall, but the texture is just as perfect here as with the lemon version. I didn't have cinnamon chips so I chopped up some white chocolate instead, which makes for a more subtle scone as I imagine the cinnamon chips would have been more overpowering. The toasted pecans in it were delicious, and as the Robber is currently on a huge toasted pecans kick (he always is, actually) he has been eating these non-stop.

I skipped the "finish" part because why would you put butter and sugar on top of a scone you are going to glaze? It seemed too much for me.

From Annie:

http://annies-eats.com/2012/02/13/cinnamon-roll-scones/

Ingredients:

For the dough:

8 T. (1 stick) unsalted butter, frozen whole

½ C. milk

½ C. low-fat greek yogurt

1 C. all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the work surface

1 C. whole wheat flour

½ C. sugar, plus extra for sprinkling

2 tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

For the filling:

Milk or cream, for brushing

3 T. sugar

¾ - 2 tsp. ground cinnamon (I used more because I lacked cinnamon chips)

2/3 C. chopped pecans, toasted

¼ -1/2 C. cinnamon chips (white chocolate, strawberries, whatever)

To finish:

2 T. melted butter

Coarse sugar, for sprinkling (optional)

For the glaze:

1 C. confectioners’ sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 T. milk

Directions:

1. Adjust an oven rack to middle position and preheat to 425˚ F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Grate the frozen butter on the holes of a large box grater.

2. Whisk together the milk and yogurt in a medium bowl; refrigerate until needed.

3. Combine the flours, ½ cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the grated butter to the flour mixture and toss with fingers until thoroughly coated

4. Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients and fold with a spatula just until combined. Transfer the dough to a generously floured work surface. Dust the top of the dough with flour, and knead with well floured hands, 6-8 times, just until the dry ingredients have been mostly incorporated.

5. Roll the dough into a 12-inch square. Fold the dough into thirds like a business letter (a dough scraper really helps with these steps). Fold the short ends of the dough into the center in thirds, to form an approximate 4-inch square. Transfer the dough to a plate lightly dusted with flour and chill in the freezer for 5 minutes.

6. Return the dough to the floured work surface and roll into an approximately 10-inch square. Lightly brush the surface of the dough with milk or cream. Whisk together the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl, and sprinkle the mixture evenly over the dough. Layer with the toasted pecans and cinnamon chips.

7. Roll the dough up into a tight log. Lay the log seam side down on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to slice into 8 round discs. Place the shaped scones on the prepared baking sheet (I patted my slices down flat a bit on the baking sheet). Lightly brush the top of each scone with melted butter and sprinkle with coarse sugar. (If freezing ahead of time, flash freeze on the baking sheet for 20 minutes, then wrap individually and store in a freezer bag until needed.)

8. Bake until the tops and bottoms are golden brown, 16-20 minutes (about 20-22 if baking from the freezer). Transfer to a wire rack and let cool at least 10 minutes.

9. In a small bowl, combine the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and milk. Whisk together until smooth, adding additional milk or sugar to reach your preferred consistency. Drizzle the glaze over the scones. Serve warm.