Often after Sunday Mass, Warren and I will stop for coffee with friends from church. Sometimes, we share a scone. I think this recipe to be very close to the scones we enjoy at the St. Peter Food Coop. Perfect Fall Treat!

Yield: 12 scones

INGREDIENTS

Scones

• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 cup diced apples
• 1 Tbsp light brown sugar
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• pinch of cardamom
• 1/4 cup frozen unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup cold low-fat buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup of cinnamon chips

Glaze

• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 Tbsp milk

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat; add apples and sauté until tender and golden, about 5 minutes. Add brown sugar and sauté until melted. Remove pears from heat and set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cardamom in a large bowl. Grate frozen butter into the flour mixture and use a pastry cutter to cut in evenly until mixture resembles coarse meal; chill in the freezer for 10 minutes.
3. Whisk together buttermilk and egg in a small bowl; add to flour mixture and fold in just until incorporated. Fold in caramelized apples and chips. Use a floured bench scraper to scrape dough out onto prepared baking sheet; lightly dust dough with flour, flour hands, and pat dough into an 8-inch circle. Score into 12 wedges with floured bench scraper. I sometimes make round scones instead.
4. Bake 17 to 18 minutes, until golden. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet, then carefully transfer to wire rack to cool before slicing into wedges. For the glaze, cook butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until it foams, turns clear, and then turns a deep brown, about 6 minutes. Whisk together brown butter, powdered sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and milk in a small bowl until smooth.

Set rack with scones over a piece of wax paper and drizzle with glaze; let set before serving. Scones are best fresh – if not serving immediately, store unglazed in an airtight container and glaze just before serving.