Scones With Pears Irish Cheddar And Honey Recipes

SCONES WITH PEARS, IRISH CHEDDAR, AND HONEY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, 2 tablespoons sugar, and salt in a large bowl to combine. Add butter to bowl and, working with a few pieces at a time, scoop some butter and flour mixture into your hands. Squeeze butter, pressing thumbs across your fingertips to flatten into petal shapes. Repeat until all butter is flattened and coated with flour mixture.
• Add caraway seeds and currants to bowl, tossing to combine. Slowly add 1 cup buttermilk, stirring constantly with a fork, just until mixture begins to form clumps. Add more buttermilk if necessary, 1 tablespoon at a time, until no dry flour mixture remains in bowl.
• Transfer mixture to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Lightly dust hands with flour and gather mixture into a ball, gently squeezing to form a dough (it may still crumble slightly).
• Flatten dough to a 1-inch thickness and fold in half. Flatten and fold once more. Gently shape into a 1-inch-thick, 7-inch-diameter round. Cut into 8 equal wedges, then separate wedges 1/2 inch apart. Brush tops with buttermilk; sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar.
• Bake scones until puffed, golden brown on top, and hollow-sounding when tapped on bottoms, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool slightly on a wire rack. To serve, split scones, sandwich pear and cheddar slices, and drizzle with honey.

PANCETTA, PEAR AND PARMESAN SCONES

Steps:

• Coat a small skillet with olive oil and cook the pancetta over medium heat until it is crisp. Drain on paper towels; break it up into pieces when it is cool. Wipe out the skillet and heat 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat until it starts to brown; be careful not to let it burn. Add the pear cubes and cook them until they are soft but still holding their shape, about 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside on a plate to cool.
• Heat oven to 450 degrees F.
• Sift into a bowl the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Add the remaining butter and cut it in with a pastry blender or your hands until it resembles coarse bread crumbs. Stir in the pepper, rosemary, and pancetta. Add the cream; mix just until the dough has come together. With floured hands, gather the dough into a ball and place it onto a floured surface. Divide the dough into 8 pieces and form them into balls. Place them onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Press a well into the center of each with your thumb, place 1 teaspoon of the cooled cooked pears into the well, and pinch the scones closed. Sprinkle the tops with the cheese. Bake the scones for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. Remove from the baking sheet and cool on a wire rack. Sprinkle with some more parmesan.

PEAR SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Sift together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl; cut in the butter until the mixture has a crumbly texture. Whisk together the egg and half-and-half in a separate bowl; stir the egg mixture into the flour mixture until combined; stir in the pear. Drop large spoonfuls of the dough onto an ungreased baking sheet.
• Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes; rest briefly on a cooling rack before serving.

CHEDDAR SCONES WITH HAM AND HONEY-MUSTARD BUTTER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F. and butter a large baking sheet.
• Make scones:
• Into a large bowl sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut butter into small bits and with your fingertips or a pastry blender blend into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse meal. With a fork stir in Cheddar. Add milk and cream, stirring until just combined. Transfer mixture to a floured surface and with floured hands knead until it forms a dough. Roll out dough into a 12-inch round (about 1/2 inch thick). Using a 2-inch fluted round cutter cut out scones and arrange about 1/2 inch apart on baking sheet. Gather and gently reroll scraps. Cut out more scones and arrange on baking sheet.
• Bake scones in middle of oven until pale golden, about 12 minutes, and transfer to a rack to cool. Scones may be made 1 day ahead and kept in an airtight container at cool room temperature.
• In a small bowl stir together butter, mustard and honey. Tear each lettuce leaf into 4 pieces. Split scones and spread each split side with honey-mustard butter. Make sandwiches with scones, lettuce, and folded slices of ham.