Gingerbread Scones

In case you hadn't already noticed, I really like scones. I also have this jar of molasses that has been sitting in my cupboard for the longest time, annoying the hell out of me because I didn't have a clue what to do with it. So when I came across this recipe for gingerbread scones, I was practically sprinting towards the kitchen to try it out.

Molasses are very odd smelling and tasting on its own, but made these scones nicely brown and rich. They were fantastic to eat straight out of the oven, crisp and golden like a gingerbread man on the outside but soft and fluffy like a normal scone on the inside. I also added a generous amount of candied ginger which meant that every now and then you would bite into a crunchy sweet ginger piece, lovely! I served them with honey (and butter as well for A), but they were just as good on their own.

Gingerbread Scones
(adapted from this recipe from Diana's Desserts)
2 cups plain flour
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground cloves
170g chilled butter, cut into pieces
1/4 cup milk
1 large egg
3 tbsp unsulfured molasses
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp candied ginger, finely chopped
Coarse sugar, for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 190°C. Line a baking sheet with baking paper. Blend first 6 ingredients in a food processor. Add butter and process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Beat milk, egg, molasses and vanilla in large bowl. Add flour mixture and candied ginger and stir gently until a dough forms.

Gather dough into ball. On lightly floured surface, press dough into 1-inch-thick round. If the dough is still quite wet and sticky light dust with flour and knead lightly once with well-floured hands. Cut round into 8 wedges or pat the dough into circles and cut with a scone cutter. Place on prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with coarse sugar.

Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 15-25 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.