Gingerbread scones: a recipe

Gingerbread scones

Recently, I've been hearing a lot of the following:

"I don't get Pinterest."

Frankly, I don't get what's not to get. So here it is, in a nutshell, from the Ninj:

Pinterest = visual del.icio.us

That is, it's simply a visual bookmarking tool. If you've used delicious (I guess they got rid of the periods when they went all corporate), you've pretty much already been Pinteresting -- you bookmark interesting items to your account (pins) and organize them by give them tags (boards).

Now, if you don't know what the hell delicious is, all is not lost. You've probably been Pinteresting for years, too. Do you have a folder somewhere called "dream house ideas" or "recipes" with all sorts of ripped out magazine pages in it? Congratulations, that's old-school Pinterest.

I've been using delicious for years and am digging Pinterest a lot. I'm a big fan of these virtual filing systems for two main reasons:

1. I can access them from anywhere. I don't have to have my own personal laptop with me to be able to reference something.
2. I never have to transfer bookmarks, address books, or any of that crap if I change laptops ... or platforms ... or if my computer blows up ... or is stolen.

I think you get it.

(Note: Hey, Pinterest People -- yeah, I'm looking at you, Ben, the guy who signs all those repin emails I receive -- if you'd like to borrow my awesome explanation and pay me royalities or at least send me a tshirt, let's talk. Have your people call my people. Well, call me -- my "people" don't have thumbs.)

But perhaps I'm not like other people -- I have actually been using my "Food Food Food" pin board, not just filling it up as a colossal time suck. I pin recipe ideas to the board then I make those recipes.

Here's one right now. (I bet you were wondering when the hell the scones would make an appearance.) I found the recipe via Pinterest and adapted it slightly from runnerfoodie, who in turn got it and adapted it slightly from The Village Cook.

Regular readers know I like my baked goods a little on the less sweet side, so I can pass them off as breakfast, and this one really fits the bill. They're a bit denser and cakier than a traditional crumbly scone, and they are awesomely gingerbread-y. (I made them for our local library bake sale on Town Meeting Day and they seemed to be a hit.)

I think they'd be perfect on christmas morning. Somebody remind me of that come December.

But for now, it's your turn with the scone recipe -- pin it, make it, adapt it, or just gawk at it.

Enjoy.

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Gingerbread Scones (adapted from Runner Foodie and The Village Cook)
Note: This recipe doubles easily and the scones freeze well.

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
4 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 3/4 teaspoons ground ginger
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 egg yolk
1/3 cup molasses
1/4 cup skim milk
Coarse turbinado or other brown sugar for sanding (I use Sugar in the Raw)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Combine the first 8 ingredients (through the nutmeg) in a bowl and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter, egg yolk, molasses and milk and mix thoroughly. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and mix until just combined.

On a VERY LIGHTLY floured work surface (or, better yet, a Silpat mat), shape and flatten the dough into a circle about 3/4-inch thick. Cut the dough into 8 triangles and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle each triangle with a little sugar. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are slightly browned/golden but scone is still soft.

Cool completely on a wire rack.