Triple Ginger and Pecan Scones

Modified the Milk Street recipe from Tandem Bakery’’s Briana Holt.

Ingredients

• 455 grams (3½ cups) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 67 grams (5 tablespoons) white sugar
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons ground ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons grated nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt (1 1/4 teaspoons table salt)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 1 1/4 cups cold buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger
• 18 tablespoons (2 sticks plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces and chilled (150 grams)
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 154 grams (1 cup) finely chopped crystallized ginger
• 1 large egg, beaten (optional)

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 375°F with racks in the upper- and lower-middle positions. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with kitchen parchment. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, ground ginger, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
2. In a 2-cup liquid measuring cup or a small bowl, stir together the buttermilk and grated ginger.
3. To a food processor, add about ½ of the flour mixture and scatter the butter over the top. Pulse until the butter is in large pea-sized pieces, 10 to 12 pulses. Transfer to the bowl with the remaining flour mixture.
4. To the bowl of flour, add the pecans and crystallized ginger, then toss with your hands until evenly combined.
5. Pour in about ⅓ of the buttermilk and toss just a few times with your hands, making sure to scrape along the bottom of the bowl, until the liquid is absorbed.
6. Add the remaining buttermilk in 2 more additions, tossing after each. After the final addition of buttermilk, toss until no dry, floury bits remain. The mixture will be quite crumbly and will not form a cohesive dough.
7. Lightly dust the counter with flour, turn the mixture out onto it, then give it a final toss. Divide it into 2 even piles, gathering each into a mound, then very briefly knead each mound; it’s fine if the mixture is still somewhat crumbly.
8. Gather each mound into a ball, then press firmly into a cohesive 5-inch disk about 1½ inches thick.
9. Optional: Brush the tops of each disk lightly with beaten egg.
10. Using a chef’s knife, (or bench scrapper) cut each disk in half, then cut each half into 3 wedges. Place 6 wedges on each prepared baking sheet, spaced evenly apart.
11. Bake until the scones are deep golden brown, 27 to 30 minutes, switching and rotating the baking sheets halfway through.
12. Cool on the baking sheets on wire racks for 5 minutes, then transfer directly to a rack and cool for at least another 5 minutes.
13. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes:

These are delicious hot as well. If you can find clotted cream, it is amazing with the scones.

Do not use frozen butter. It doesn’t work very well.