Pumpkin Scones with Brown Butter Glaze: the object of desire

My book fair team and I took on the job of keeping the book fair up and running for a week, in order to raise money for our school library. It's a job I've done for the past 5 years, and one that I really enjoy, mostly because I love to talk to kids about books. I run around, talk about book titles, encourage kids to try books out beyond an interesting cover, and give mini book talks to as many people will listen, in order to promote the reading of books. There were a couple of not so great incidents this year, including a mom pointing (literally) her finger at me, when I wouldn't do what she wanted, and a young boy who shoplifted, and the other boy who insisted on coming in repeatedly asking for a book that we didn't have and wasn't going to get.

But the funnier aspect of this book fair, came in the form of the book Sisters. I knew it was going to be the hot item of the book fair, especially since it had just come out in August. I knew kids would be excited to read it, buy it, own it, only I underestimated the "hotness" of the book. The first day of the fair, Friday, we opened, and before lunch I placed my first restock for 10 more copies. The first 30 sold out in a day, and I promised a long string of girls that I'd be "getting more" very very soon. The weekend passed, and I didn't really think much about it.

However, when we opened on Monday, I saw a long string of girls come in and ask if I had Sisters. Sweetly I reminded them that I'd be getting more, but I just didn't have any at the moment. They all patiently walked away and I called out after them, "I'm supposed to get some more before the end of school! See you then!" I received my shipment, placed them on the shelf, and braced myself for the after school rush.

What I experienced was like being a rock star or some movie star where people want your autograph. I was mobbed by girls and boys alike, all clamoring for a copy of the book. I passed them out, first come first serve, disappointing many when I quickly ran out. I cleverly came up with the idea of looking in the hold boxes for the teachers for some more, and suddenly a mob of girls closed in on me saying, "ME! It's mine, it's mine it's mine!!!" At the end of that Monday afternoon sales hour, I felt as if I had many people pulling and tugging at my clothing, all vying for a piece of me. In reality all they wanted was the book, but still, I felt intensely drained. That book was a serious object of desire.

As I've been baking a lot while on vacation, I decided to take on pumpkin scones. Mostly it was kind of a casual experiment, as I had those many cans of pumpkin in my kitchen, and I just wanted to test some things out. However, as those in my neighborhood heard of my pumpkin scone, I received numerous texts and requests for one or more of the scones. I discovered that the primary pumpkin scone purveyor, Starbucks, was no longer making them. (Maybe your local Starbucks will, but ours in the Bay Area do not.) I had people offering to buy them from me, some for their son, some for their mom, and one guy came over walking his dog, begging for one for his pumpkin-scone-starved family members. I was inundated with request, but in this case it worked out, because the recipe I created makes 16 scones, and no family should eat 16 scones in a single sitting.

Once again, I designed the recipe to USE UP AN ENTIRE CAN OF PUMPKIN, because I do not like the remnant pumpkin in the can situation. It actually drives me crazy when I get in that situation. The scone is tender and moist, with the fragrance of all those amazing spices we associate with fall. The brown butter icing is a favorite with everyone, and with a black cup of coffee - it is an object of desire. Take your time making these, and enjoy the experience, because once they are ready, you'll be deluged with requests for your ~~presence~~ scones.

Pumpkin Scones with Brown Butter Glaze
Makes 16 scones

Scone Ingredients
4 ½ cups all-purpose flour
⅔ cup packed brown sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
½ teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) cold butter cut into one inch cubes
2 eggs
15 oz can of pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
¼ cup of milk, possibly more IF your dough is too dry

Scone Method
In a large bowl of a mixer, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Add cut butter. Turn the mixer on low and allow the mixer to cut the butter into the flour, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about 2 minutes. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, pumpkin and ¼ cup milk. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.

Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead gently 10 to 12 times, until dough comes together. Divide dough in half. Pat each portion into an 8-in. circle and cut into 8 wedges. Repeat with the other section of dough. Separate wedges and place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Brush with milk.

Bake at 400° for 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to from pan to cool on racks. Once scones are fully cool, make glaze.

Glaze Ingredients
1 stick (8 tablespoons butter)
2 cups confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 to 5 tablespoons whole milk (will vary based on desired consistency)

Glaze Method
In a heavy saucepan, melt butter over medium high heat, until golden brown, about 8-10 minutes. Carefully pour melted butter into a bowl, leaving excess sediment behind.

Add confectioners sugar, vanilla extract and 3 tablespoons milk and whisk together until uniform and smooth. If glaze is still too thick, add more milk and whisk again, until desired consistency. A runny glaze is easier to smooth everywhere but doesn’t set up as easily as a slightly stiffer glaze. Choose accordingly.

Use glaze immediately. Dip scones face tops down, lift and hold over bowl, allowing dripping. Turn over and place on a cooling rack over a tray to catch any residual drips. Serve with coffee.
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