What does your driving-to-work playlist look like these days?

Are you winning at eating more spinach than marshmallows?  Me neither.

Sweater weather feelings?  Are you into it?  Please be into it.  I don’t want to be cozy all by myself. 

Are you one of those people that sleeps with their socks on?  How do you do that?  Not trying to be creepy but, I kind of need to know. 

What do you think about before going to sleep?  Yeah...that sounded even creepier. 

If you were wondering, (which you probably were not because you are not as nosey as I am but I am going to tell you anyways) I think about scones.

I close my eyes and visions of scones appear.  Like the particular lady I am, I scroll through the webpage of my mind, rejecting or applauding each idea as it passes by.

It took a good bit of scrolling and forty-five minutes of lost sleep before I finally came upon an idea that impressed me.

Before deciding if a recipe concept deserves to be attempted I run it through some very strict, very technical criteria.

1. Is the concept reasonable?  Scratch that. I attempt unreasonable, completely ridiculous things in the kitchen all the time. 
2. Does it include butter?
3. Am I getting hungry thinking about it?
4. Does it require ingredients that are generally available?
5. Am I really hungry from thinking about it?
6. Am I starting to chew on my pillow out of desperation?  

Like I said, it’s technical.

I interrupt this post to say - hey, stop eating all of the spiced pecans!  My supply should have given me enough for two batches but somehow, well… at least I had enough for one. 

As I was saying, these scones underwent some serious thought before they were able to pass the criteria.  I knew I wanted something faintly evocative of the coming season, and I knew I wanted my scones to be stuffed with some sort of fruit.  

After a bit of refining, this was the final idea and I am very happy to say that these scones are absolutely marvelous.  They also taste like you accidentally dropped an apple pie in them.  

Now perhaps you, like my mother, believe scones to be dry, dense, English hockey pucks.  If that is the case, I'm truly sorry, because that means that you have been subjected to one of the many lackluster scones that exist in this world.  However, these scones are nothing like those hockey pucks from your past.  These scones are incredibly moist, slightly crumbly, and cakey.  

Their moisture comes in two forms; heavy cream and sour cream.  Basically, I really love cream. 

Stuffed with apples and cinnamon, brushed with more cream, and baked to perfection.  

I'm still waiting on an answer about those socks.  In the meantime, I think I'll have a cup of tea and another scone.

Sincerely, 

  Pedantic Foodie

Apple Pie Scones

makes 9

• 3 1/4 cups all purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar 
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice 
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes 
• 2 cups heavy cream 
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup spiced pecans, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 1 crisp apple (I used a pink lady), sliced thinly
• egg wash (1 egg mixed with 1 teaspoon water)
• turbinado sugar

In a large bowl whisk to combine flour, brown sugar, salt, baking powder, and allspice.  Toss in chilled butter and use your fingertips to break up the butter, forming pea-sized pieces.  Toss in spiced pecans. 

In a small bowl combine heavy cream and sour cream.  Pour into the flour mixture and mix quickly using a spatula.  Do not overwork the dough; we do not want to create a lot of gluten.  Stir until just combined and then turn out onto a floured surface. 

Divide the dough into two equal halves and shape each half into a 8-inch square, about 1/2 inch in thickness.

In a small bowl combine ground cinnamon and granulated sugar.  Sprinkle one half of the dough with cinnamon sugar and press down lightly.  Cover the surface evenly with apple slices and then top with the second square of dough.  

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut the dough into 9 squares and lay out onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper.  Brush the top of each scone with egg wash and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.  

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown.  Allow to cool 15-20 minutes before serving.  Enjoy!