I brought my own cup of coffee to work this morning, and as I sipped on the milky substance, I thought, “Goodness, what am I doing wrong?” Because although my brew tasted similar to the cups I’ve been purchasing as of late, it lacked that rich, velvety flavor that made my mornings swell. With a cup of perfectly brewed coffee in my hands, I felt like I could walk down any city street and fall in love again with the sun, the busy people, even the half-empty trash cans. But this cup of coffee that I brewed at home? “Blah” pretty much sums it up.
So I’ve developed a bad habit it seems. I leave my house, pull into the Whole Foods parking lot, and fill up a paper cup with an extra dark roast and a heavy helping of cream. A quick swirl with a wooden stick, and I’m off again, driving South to my office. Last night, I bought one of those reusable coffee cups with an aim to curtail my coffee expenditure, but alas, I’m spoiled (or I’m just really bad at making coffee).
So maybe this means I’ll continue to stop in at Whole Foods. At least now, I’ll have my own coffee cup in hand. I may not save money, but at least I can feel better knowing that I’m saving a few trees.
But breakfast pastries? Well, breakfast pastries are a different story. Unlike my failure as a coffee barista, I make a pretty good baker, and I can whip up just about any breakfast pastry that my stomach wants. A few months ago? Croissants. Over the weekend? Bagels. Just yesterday? Pumpkin Scones. Yes, the same petite scones that can be found at the most ubiquitous coffee shop of all—Starbucks. And I’m pretty confident that mine not only taste just as good as their offering, but even better.
Whenever I visit my older sister, Susanne, we always make a stop into Starbucks. We’ve been to Starbucks together in Houston, Denver, Colorado Springs, Boston, Amman (yes, Amman, Jordan) and Cairo too. We pick up our drinks, and she orders a pastry or two. Her absolute favorite Starbucks treat is Pumpkin Bread, but these scones have made their appearance too.
Scones are lovely breakfast treats because they aren’t too sweet. I hate biting into a muffin and feeling as if I’m dumping a ½ cup of sugar onto my tongue. When it comes to morning hours, I like strong coffee and subtle sweets. And these scones? These scones fit me to a tee. They’re like a Kate Middleton walking down a quiet London street. Subtle, but with undeniable allure. You can’t help but want her to stop and stay for a little while more.
Pumpkin Scones
*Makes six large scones, or 12 mini scones.
2 cups all-purpose flour
7 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
6 tablespoons cold butter
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
3 tablespoons half-and-half
1 large egg
Powderered Sugar Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
2 tablespoons whole milk
1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a large baking sheet or line with parchment paper (parchment paper works better).
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices in a large bowl. Using a pastry knife or food processor, cut butter into the dry ingredients until mixture is crumbly and no chunks of butter are obvious (I sometimes use my fingers, too!). Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin, half and half, and egg. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Form the dough into a ball. It may seem dry, but you should be able to incorporate all the dry ingredients into the wet.
4. Pat out dough onto a lightly floured surface and form it into a 1-inch thick rectangle (about 9 inches long and 3 inches wide). Use a large knife to slice the dough twice through the width, making three equal portions. Cut those three slices diagonally so that you have 6 triangular slices of dough. (If you want mini scones, cut each of the three sections in half, then cut those pieces diagonally). Place on prepared baking sheet.
5. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes. Scones should just begin to turn a light golden brown.. Place on wire rack to cool.
6. Mix the powdered sugar and milk together until smooth.
7. When scones are cool, drizzle glaze over the top of each scone.
Always,
Monet
Anecdotes and Apple Cores
