Ripe pear, savory pancetta, and nutty pecans give the first course of this celebratory tea contrasting flavors that work so well together Offer guests a complementary honey-sweetened homemade mascarpone cheese spread.
Pear, Pancetta & Pecan Scones
Serves: 12
Ingredients
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground mace
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
- ½ cup diced peeled firm ripe pear
- ⅓ cup chopped toasted pecans
- ⅓ cup coarsely chopped cooked pancetta
- ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon cold heavy whipping cream, divided
- 2 large eggs, divided
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, mace, and pepper. Using a pastry blender or 2 forks, cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in pear, pecans, and pancetta.
- In a small bowl, whisk together ½ cup cream, 1 egg, and vanilla extract. Add to flour mixture, stirring until evenly moist. Working gently, bring mixture together with hands until a dough forms. (If mixture seems dry and dough won’t come together, add more cream, 1 tablespoon at a time.)
- Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface, and knead gently by patting dough and folding in half 3 to 4 times. Using a rolling pin, roll out dough to a ¾-inch thickness. Using a 2-inch round cutter dipped in flour, cut 12 scones from dough, rerolling scraps as needed. Place scones 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet.
- In a small bowl, whisk together remaining 1 egg and remaining 1 tablespoon cream. Brush mixture over tops of scones.
- Bake until edges of scones are golden brown and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Serve warm.
Honey-Mascarpone Cream
Serves: approximately 1 cup
Honey gives this sumptuous spread, made from equal parts heavy cream and mascarpone cheese, the right amount of sweetness.
Ingredients
- ½ cup cold heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup mascarpone cheese
- 3 tablespoons honey
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat cold cream with a mixer at high speed until thickened. Add mascarpone cheese, honey, and vanilla extract, beating at high speed until incorporated and mixture thickens. Cover, refrigerate, and use within 4 days.
