I’ve been wanting to make scones for a very, very long time (see the Summer Recipe Goal List). And so of course, when throwing a bridal shower tea party..scones are a MUST. Perfect opportunity! The only problem was deciding what KIND of scones to make. Blueberry lemon like this sounded delightful, as did these strawberries and cream scones from KAF. I ended up choosing maple nut scones reminiscent of Starbuck’s from the family kitchen. Why? Maybe I hadn’t had waffles for a while and I was really in the mood for some maple syrup. That’s probably it. And I wanted some nuts..and an excuse to make a delicious cappuccino glaze to complement the maple flavor.
These scones were delightfully nutty, oaty, with just the right amount of sweetness from the glaze. And oh boy, is this glaze fantastic. I made sure to get it all over my fingers as I drizzled so I could taste as much as I could get my hands on..not because I’m messy. It just appears that way.
I made sure to put the scones on almost every single tier/plate of desserts I could. They’re just too cute! They’re so simple to make, too. I always was a bit afraid of the rolling out of scone dough and cutting it, but that was surprisingly easy. And they were light and soft inside, just how I wanted them to turn out!
These scones are perfect for breakfast (especially if you throw in some white whole wheat flour, which I will surely do next time) or for dessert..or anytime, really. And they’re mini, so you can have a few without feeling guilty.
And because I haven’t shared the full dessert table with you…
We were set with sweets. And you’ll notice that this is the only table that’s near any natural light; my mom and I had several arguments the morning of the shower because of that – I wanted to be able to take some great pictures! Alas, it was not to be..but I still took some anyway to share with you all!
Maple Nut Scones with Cappuccino Glaze
yields roughly 3 dozen mini scones
For the scones:
1 cup rolled oats
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 t salt
1 T baking powder
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 1/2 T cold butter
1 egg
1/2 cup half-and-half (I used fat-free!)
2 t maple extract
2/3 cup pecans, finely chopped
In a food processor, grind the oats into a flour (fine crumbs). Stir in the salt, baking powder and flour. Add the maple syrup and butter and mix. In a separate dish, beat together the half-and-half, egg and maple extract. Stir the egg mixture into the flour mixture and then gently fold in the pecans. Roll out onto a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. Cut long strips through the dough and then cut each of these strips into squares (2″). Cut the squares in half diagonally to make triangles.
Bake the scones on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper at 425ºF for 10-12 minutes, until lightly browned. Allow to cool on wire racks. Once cool, drizzle with the cappuccino glaze and allow to harden before serving.
For the cappuccino glaze:
1/2 t instant coffee
1/2 t water
1/4 t vanilla
pinch of salt
1 T half-and-half (again, I used fat-free)
3/4 cup powdered sugar
Whisk together the instant coffee, water, vanilla and salt until the coffee granules are completely dissolved. Slowly whisk in the half-and-half and powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Pour into a small plastic bag and snip the corner off of the bag. Drizzle the scones and allow to harden before serving.