Pecan Praline Scones

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Pastry blender or two forks
• •Rimmed baking sheet
• •Parchment paper
• •Wire cooling rack
• •Sharp knife or bench scraper

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare praline pieces

   Chop your pralines into rough pieces about the size of chocolate chips. Some larger chunks are fine, even welcome. They will create pockets of caramelized sweetness throughout your scones. If you are making pralines from scratch, let them cool completely and harden before chopping. Soft pralines will smear into the dough instead of staying distinct.

   Store-bought pralines work beautifully here. Look for ones made with real butter and cream, not the waxy imitations.
2. 2

   Combine dry ingredients

   Whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Break up any lumps of brown sugar with your fingers. The cinnamon is subtle here, just enough to whisper alongside the praline without announcing itself.

3. 3

   Cut in cold butter

   Add the cold butter cubes to the flour mixture. Using a pastry blender, two forks, or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized pieces remaining. Those larger pieces are your friends. They will melt in the oven and create flaky layers. Work quickly so the butter stays cold.

   If your kitchen runs warm or your hands run hot, freeze the butter cubes for ten minutes before cutting in. Cold butter is everything in pastry work.
4. 4

   Add pralines

   Toss the chopped praline pieces into the flour mixture and stir gently to distribute. The flour will coat the pralines and help them stay suspended in the dough rather than sinking to the bottom.

5. 5

   Mix wet ingredients

   In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the cold cream, egg, and vanilla extract until combined. The egg adds richness and helps bind everything together. Pour this mixture over the flour all at once.

6. 6

   Form the dough

   Stir with a fork until the dough just comes together in shaggy clumps. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Here is where patience matters: press and fold the dough gently, no more than six or eight times, until it holds together. You should still see streaks of butter. If the dough looks smooth and uniform, you have overworked it and your scones will be tough.

   Treat scone dough like it owes you money but you still want to stay friends. Firm but not aggressive.
7. 7

   Shape scones

   Pat the dough into a circle about one inch thick and eight inches across. Cut into eight wedges like you are slicing a pie. Transfer wedges to a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about two inches apart. The edges should look rough and shaggy, not pressed smooth. Those rough edges rise better.

8. 8

   Chill before baking

   Slide the baking sheet into the freezer for fifteen minutes while your oven preheats to 400 degrees. This rest firms up the butter again after all that handling. Cold dough hitting a hot oven creates steam that lifts the layers apart.

   You can freeze the shaped scones solid at this point and store them in a bag for up to two months. Bake directly from frozen, adding three minutes to the baking time.
9. 9

   Bake until golden

   Bake for 16 to 18 minutes until the tops are golden and the edges have turned a deeper brown. The scones will feel firm when pressed gently but give slightly in the center. The praline pieces may darken at the edges where they are exposed. This is good. That is more caramelization, more flavor.

10. 10

    Cool briefly

    Transfer scones to a wire rack and let cool for at least ten minutes before glazing. The glaze will melt right off if the scones are too hot. They should be warm, not blazing.

11. 11

    Make the glaze

    Whisk together the powdered sugar, brown sugar, two tablespoons of cream, vanilla, and salt until smooth. The consistency should be thick but pourable, like warm honey. Add more cream by the teaspoon if needed. The brown sugar adds depth and echoes the praline flavor.

12. 12

    Glaze and serve

    Drizzle the glaze over the warm scones in lazy zigzags, letting it drip down the sides. Let the glaze set for five minutes until it turns matte and slightly tacky. Serve warm or at room temperature. These are best eaten the day they are made, but they will keep overnight wrapped tightly.

Chef Tips

• •Louisiana pecans have a sweeter, more buttery flavor than other varieties. If you can find them, they make a real difference in homemade pralines.
• •The praline pieces will be sticky. Dust your knife with flour between cuts to keep them from clumping together.
• •If you do not have pralines on hand, you can substitute candied pecans tossed with a tablespoon of toffee bits. It is not the same, but it gets you close.
• •These scones freeze beautifully before baking. Keep a stash in the freezer for unexpected company or Sunday morning laziness.
• •For the richest flavor, use European-style butter with a higher butterfat content. Plugrá or Kerrygold both work well.

Advance Preparation

• •Shaped unbaked scones can be frozen for up to 2 months. Bake directly from frozen at 400°F for 19-21 minutes.
• •The glaze can be made a day ahead and stored covered at room temperature. Whisk in a splash of cream if it thickens.
• •Baked scones are best the day they are made but will keep wrapped tightly at room temperature for one day. Rewarm briefly in a 300°F oven to refresh.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 120g)