King Cake Scones are a delicious twist on one of Mardi Gras traditions, the King Cake. Each scone will have all three Mardi Gras colors: Purple – Justice, Green – Faith, Gold – Power. There are candied pecans in the filling, and each scone is topped with a bourbon-vanilla icing and toasted pecans. Enjoy!
Let’s BAKE!
INGREDIENTS:
8 tablespoons butter
CANDIED PECANS
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
SCONES
1 3/4 cups unbleached flour
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
green sanding sugar
yellow sanding sugar
lavender sanding sugar
1 egg, beaten
ICING
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1 tablespoon bourbon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400 degree F.
Grate 8 Tbsp. butter and put in freezer.
CANDIED PECANS: Melt 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter over medium-high heat in large skillet. Add 1/2 cup chopped pecans, stirring until golden brown and toasted, about 3 minutes. Add brown sugar, stirring for 1 minute. Transfer to parchment lined plate to cool; set aside.
SCONES: Meanwhile, in a large bowl mix together flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt. Cut in frozen butter. Add buttermilk and mix until just together (do not overmix, the dough is very loose).
Place dough on a heavy floured board and pat into a square. Roll out into a 12″ square. Fold into thirds, and then fold into thirds the other direction (you should have a square again). Put on a floured plate and put into the freezer uncovered for 5 minutes.
Take dough out of the freezer and roll into 12″ square. Brush on melted 2 Tbsp. butter, cover entire dough. Cover the bottom 8-inches of the dough with wax paper. Sprinkle top 4 inches with green sanding sugar. Cover green sanding sugar and the bottom 4-inches with wax paper. Sprinkle the middle 4-inches with yellow sanding sugar. Cover green and yellow sanding sugar with wax paper. Sprinkle the bottom 4-inches with lavender sanding sugar. You should have 3 rows, 4-inches each, of colored sanding sugar.
Break up candied pecans in parchment paper; sprinkle evenly over sanding sugar; gently press in dough. Roll dough like a cinnamon roll, into a tight 12-inch long log. Cut log into twelve 1-inch pieces. Place cut-side down on a baking sheet. Brush tops with 1 beaten egg.
Bake at 400 degrees F. for 16-18 minutes (until golden brown and delicious). Remove scones with parchment onto cooling rack. Cool completely.
ICING: Once scones are cool, whisk together 1 Tbsp. softened butter, bourbon, vanilla extract and powdered sugar with a whisk until smooth. Put icing into a ziplock bag, cut a hole in the corner and drizzle on scones. Sprinkle iced scones with toasted pecans.
Serve (If you are not serving the scones right away, put in refrigerator to firm up the icing. These scones freeze well.)
Enjoy!
