Pumpkin Scones

Ingredients

• 1 quantity Basic buttermilk scones (see related recipe)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2/3 cup mashed cooked butternut pumpkin (see note)

Method

1. Make Basic buttermilk scones, adding nutmeg to flour at start of step 2. Reduce buttermilk to 1/2 cup. Add pumpkin with buttermilk.
2. Follow step 4, using a 6cm fluted-edge round cutter to make 12 scones. Follow step 5, baking for 15 minutes. Serve.

Notes

• 
  You will need 300g peeled, chopped, butternut pumpkin to make 2/3 cup mashed cooked pumpkin. Serve scones with butter, ricotta or cream cheese. Dip cutters into flour between cutting to prevent dough sticking to them. Make sure rolling pin is lightly floured before use. All scones are cooked on a baking tray lined with baking paper.

Basic Buttermilk Scones

Ingredients

• 2 cups self-raising flour
• 1 tablespoon caster sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 60g butter, chilled, chopped
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• Extra buttermilk, for brushing
• Raspberry jam and whipped cream, to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 220°C/200°C fan-forced. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Position oven rack in the top half of oven.
2. Sift flour, sugar and salt into a bowl. Add butter. Using fingertips, rub butter into flour mixture until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
3. Make a well in centre of mixture. Add buttermilk. Using a flat-bladed knife, stir until a sticky dough forms. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead gently until just smooth.
4. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, gently roll dough out until 2cm thick. Using a 6cm round cutter, cut out scones. Press leftover dough together. Repeat to make 12 scones.
5. Place scones, just touching, on prepared tray. Brush with buttermilk. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden and hollow when tapped on top. Serve with jam and cream.

Notes

• 
  Dip cutters into flour between cutting to prevent dough sticking to them.
  Make sure rolling pin is lightly floured before use.
  All scones are cooked on a baking tray lined with baking paper

Ingredients

• 600g Kent pumpkin, seeded, peeled, coarsely chopped
• Butter, at room temperature, to grease
• 450g (3 cups) self-raising flour
• Pinch of salt
• 60g chilled butter, cut into 1cm pieces
• 250ml (1 cup) buttermilk

Method

1. Cook pumpkin in a saucepan of boiling water for 10 minutes or until very tender. Drain. Use a potato masher to mash until a coarse puree forms. Set aside to cool.
2. Preheat oven to 240°C. Rub a baking tray with butter to grease. Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Rub the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add pumpkin and buttermilk. Use a flat-bladed knife in a cutting motion to mix until evenly incorporated and the mixture just starts to hold together.
3. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and gently knead until smooth. Use your hands to press out the dough until about 2cm thick. Use a round 5.5cm pastry cutter to cut 15 discs from the dough. Place, about 1cm apart, on the prepared tray. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden and scones sound hollow when tapped on the base.

Notes

• 
  Know-how: Cut Kent pumpkin into wedges along the ridges so it's easier to peel. Leave the skin on for roasting so it becomes soft and delicious once cooked. The smoothness of this scone dough depends on the moisture content of the pumpkin. If your dough is quite sticky, add a little more flour to the mixture at the end of step 2.
  Turn the seeds into a snack. Toss with curry powder and sea salt, then bake on a baking tray for 10 minutes.
  Pumpkins are rich in beta-carotene and are a good source of vitamin C and dietary fibre, too.
  Pumpkin absorbs a lot of water when cooking. Drain thoroughly before proceeding to the next step.