Pumpkin and Parmesan Scones

I was skeptical about these scones. Pumpkin and Parmesan? Really? Isn't pumpkin supposed to taste like pumpkin pie, with nutmeg and cinnamon? Well, this recipe just proves that pumpkin doesn't always have to be sweet. And that pairing it with Parmesan can actually be a winning combination.

Ingredients:

100 g pumpkin purée
200 g all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
80 g grated Parmesan cheese
100 g raw pumpkin seeds
100 mls heavy whipping cream

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium-sized bowl.

2. Add the pumpkin, Parmesan cheese, and pumpkin seeds to the bowl and mix with a fork until mostly incorporated. Add the heavy whipping cream and mix with a spatula or fork until it has almost come together into a dough.

3. Turn out onto a lightly floured countertop and knead a couple times to bring together. Using a rolling pin, roll out until 1/2-inch high. Use a round cookie cutter and cut out as many rounds as you can, rerolling the pieces as necessary.

4. Place in oven and bake until golden on top, about 6-8 minutes.

Results:
The pumpkin seeds in this recipe make these scones crunchy, while the pungent Parmesan makes them savory. If you're looking for something to accompany a meat dish, these are a possibility.

Parmesan & Cheddar Cheese Scones

It's no secret: I love cheddar cheese. Combining cheese and scones, well, it's just a matter of time before I try a recipe like that.

Luckily, this one was in the Simply Scones cookbook, just waiting for me to try it.







Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
dash ground red pepper (or flakes or cayenne pepper)
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pieces
1/3 cup milk
2 large eggs
1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tsp water (glaze)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400ºF and grease or cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Mix flour, baking powder, salt and spices together. Add all of both cheeses and mix. Add the cut up butter and, using knives or a pastry cutter, cut in the butter until the flour mixture resembles coarse sand.

3. In a small bowl, combine the milk and two eggs. Mix well. Add the egg and milk mixture to the dry flour and cheese mixture and stir with a wooden spoon to combine.

4. Using a large spoon or a 1/4-cup measure, dollop out onto the baking sheet, leaving about three inches in between each scone.

5. Brush the glaze on the top of each scone. Bake for approximately 17-22 minutes, or until golden.

The Process:

Cheddar Cheese, 2% Milk,
Parmesan Cheese, Large Eggs, Egg & Water Glaze,
Unsalted Butter,  Salt & Spices, Baking Powder

Flour and cheese mixture

Flour, Cheese and Butter mixture

Dough

Evenly space your scones

Use a small paintbrush like this, which you can find in the cooking aisle.

Dough brushed with glaze.

Bake until lightly golden.

Results:

I love cheddar cheese. Baking a savory scone with cheddar cheese just combines two of my favorite foods.

These scones are best served warm, and I find they complement a bowl of chili just perfectly. The spice in them (I added cayenne pepper as well as red pepper flakes) might have something to do with that. 

They were quick and easy to make, a scone I will put on my go-to list as a side bread. 

These go excellently with a bowl of chili.