While I love to share my cooking success stories, I think it’s just as important to share the ‘learning opportunities’. The first time I tried to make these pumpkin scones last weekend, I forgot to add the brown sugar and didn’t realize my mistake until they were already in the oven.

I was hopeful that when I followed the recipe correctly, the scones would make a good Halloween treat to bring to work. I started baking right when I got home from class, excited about the project. However, when I took the brown sugar out of the cabinet, it was a solid block. After a few rounds in the microwave next to a bowl of water, the sugar seemed soft enough, so I measured it out and continued on.

As I was mixing the dough, a problem became quickly apparent. The sugar was not soft enough to incorporate into the dough. I had a bowl of lovely pumpkin dough with brown sugar rocks. At this point, I decided to put the scones in the oven, hoping that perhaps the sugar would melt right in while they were baking, and no one would ever know. When I took them out of the oven, the brown sugar rocks had indeed melted…..and burned.

So now I have over a dozen pumpkin scones with a burnt brown sugar crust. It’s almost midnight, and my kitchen is closed. I am posting the recipe because I still believe it is a good one. With a fresh box of brown sugar, hopefully the third time will be the charm. Happy Halloween!

1/4 c. whole wheat pastry flour
1 3/4 c. unbleached white flour
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 t cinnamon
1 t pumpkin pie spice
1 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
5 T unsalted butter, cold
1/2 c. buttermilk
1/3 c. canned pumpkin puree
1 t vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
Combine flours, brown sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Cut butter into flour mixture, until it resembles coarse crumbs.
In a separate small bowl, stir together pumpkin puree, buttermilk and vanilla. Pour into flour mixture just until it forms a soft dough.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently, just three or four times. Pat dough into a circle about 1-1/2 inches thick. Cut into 8 equal wedges (like slices of pie). Transfer to prepared cookie sheet and bake at 375F for 20 minutes.

-Low Fat Cooking by Stephanie Gallagher

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