Peppery Pear-Vanilla Scones

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Bet you haven't seen a scone recipe like this on your morning coffee shop stop. The complexity of flavors from pears, cranberries, black pepper and a vanilla bean and pepper butter are unique, to be sure. We think you'll love it.

Peppery Pear-Vanilla Scones
Photo: Blaine Moats
Hands On Time:
25 mins
Total Time:
40 mins
Servings:
12

Ingredients

  • 2 ¾ cup all-purpose flour

  • ½ cup sugar

  • 1 tablespoon baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • ½ cup cold butter, cut up

  • 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries

  • ½ cup finely chopped fresh pear

  • ½ cup chopped walnuts

  • 2 eggs

  • ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

  • 1 egg yolk

  • 1 small pear, halved, cored, and very thinly sliced

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • Vanilla Bean and Pepper Butter (see recipe)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line an extra-large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, pepper, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in cranberries, finely chopped pear, and walnuts. Make a well in center of flour mixture.

  2. In a small bowl whisk together the eggs, 3/4 cup cream, and the vanilla bean paste. Add egg mixture to flour mixture. Using a fork, stir just until moistened. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, knead dough by gently folding and pressing 10 to 12 strokes or until dough holds together.

  3. Divide dough in half. Pat each half into a 6-inch circle. Cut each circle into six wedges. Place wedges on prepared baking sheet. In a small bowl combine the egg yolk and remaining 1 Tbsp. cream. Brush some yolk mixture over wedges. Arrange pear slices and, if desired, additional cranberries on wedges. Brush with remaining yolk mixture. Sprinkle with additional pepper.

  4. Bake 15 minutes or until golden. Remove from baking sheet; let cool slightly on a wire rack. Serve with Vanilla Bean and Pepper Butter. Makes 12.

Vanilla Bean and Pepper Butter:

In a small bowl beat together until smooth 1/2 cup softened butter, 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, and 1/4 tsp. vanilla bean paste.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

326 Calories
18g Fat
36g Carbs
6g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 12
Calories 326
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 18g 23%
Saturated Fat 9g 45%
Cholesterol 86mg 29%
Sodium 299mg 13%
Total Carbohydrate 36g 13%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 2.1mg 11%
Calcium 100mg 8%
Iron 1.9mg 11%
Potassium 113mg 2%
Fatty acids, total trans 1g
Folate, total 65.4mcg
Vitamin B-12 0.1mcg
Vitamin B-6 0.1mg

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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