Description
These tender scones offer a delightful blend of warm chai spices and sweet, diced pears. Each scone is baked to a golden perfection, resulting in a crumbly yet moist texture. A delicate, spiced glaze provides a smooth finish, enhancing the aromatic notes of cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger that infuse the pastry.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon chai spice blend (1.5 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp cardamom, 0.5 tsp ginger, 0.25 tsp clove, pinch nutmeg)
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, very cold and cubed
- 1 large pear, peeled, cored, and finely diced
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- For the Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
- 1/4 teaspoon chai spice blend (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, and chai spice blend.
- Add the cold, cubed butter to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry blender, your fingertips, or a food processor, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
- Gently fold in the finely diced pear.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup heavy cream and vanilla extract. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a fork or your hands until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; the dough should be shaggy.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat the dough into an 8-inch round, about 1-inch thick.
- Using a sharp knife or a bench scraper, cut the round into 8 wedges.
- Carefully transfer the scone wedges to the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Brush the tops of the scones lightly with a little extra heavy cream.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- While the scones cool on a wire rack, prepare the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of milk or cream, and the optional chai spice blend until smooth. Add more milk or cream a teaspoon at a time if needed to reach a pourable consistency.
- Once the scones have cooled slightly, drizzle the glaze over the tops. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Ensure your butter is very cold to achieve a tender, flaky scone texture.
Avoid overmixing the dough; a light hand prevents tough scones.
For a richer flavor, toast the chai spices lightly before grinding or adding to the flour.
These scones are best enjoyed fresh, but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
Nutrition
- Calories: 320
- Fat: 14g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Protein: 4g