Butterscotch Cinnamon Swirl Scones

And finally, this is the third of my trio of Carnation Evaporated Milk inspired recipes and, apparently, my dog Fenway's favorite of the three.  You would think that after last year's Great Donut Caper, when Fenway gobbled a dozen or so freshly-made cappuccino donuts off of my kitchen counter while my back was turned, I would be more careful.  You would think that after last Thanksgiving's Case of the Missing Date-Walnut Loaf, when I found a very mysterious crumb-dusted piece of plastic wrap on the kitchen floor, I would be more careful.  Yes, Fenway actually unwrapped the loaf of bread and ate it.  He's that good.  You would think that after both of these events, I would have learned to be more careful.

Apparently, I haven't.

Yesterday, it happened again.  I had decided to whip up a batch of a favorite scone recipe, one that happens to call for evaporated milk instead of the usual buttermilk, half and half, or exceedingly rich whipping cream.  Because these scones are decadent enough, thanks to the addition of a butterscotch cinnamon swirl, I didn't feel the need to add one of these heavier options, so the Carnation Low-fat Evaporated Milk was a perfect fit.  Who knew that it would work so beautifully in scones?

Anyhow, there I was, bustling away in the kitchen: chopping, blending, kneading, rolling.....you know the drill.  Most of the time when I am cooking or baking, the dogs can be found in the adjacent family room, perched on their respective couches (We swore that we would never let the dogs climb on the couches.  Yeah, that lasted about a minute-and-a-half.)  I used to think that they were sleeping, but now I am beginning to suspect that they are not as....er....simple minded as they may appear.  I think that they are watching my every move, plotting and planning the perfect strategy to snatch whatever it is that Julie is working on, should she place it a bit too close to the edge of the counter when she leaves the room.

I thought that the scones were safe, but evidently a few years of practice has elevated Fenway to major league status in the food-swiping department.  When I came downstairs from the treadmill, the batch was a mere shadow of itself, two whole scones and a few fragments remaining.  Fenway regarded me with a look that said "What are you looking at me for?", as he licked crumbs from his snout.  Drats, foiled again!

I guess that I can't blame the kid though.  These are really hard to resist. Here are a few extra tips for making the rich and flaky spiced scones:

• The scone dough can be prepared in advance, wrapped in plastic wrap, and refrigerated overnight.  It can also be frozen for up to one week.  Thaw the dough overnight in the refrigerator, not at room temperature.
• Scones are best eaten the day that they are baked (so they don't turn into "stones!")  If eating them on the second day, warm them in the oven, loosely wrapped in foil.
• You can also try this recipe using other varieties of baking chips, such as cinnamon, peanut butter, chocolate, or white chocolate.  You can also try the various flavors of Hershey's Kisses that are now on the market (such as pumpkin spice.)

Butterscotch Cinnamon Swirl Scones

Makes 12 scones

Ingredients:

For the "swirl"

1/2 cup butterscotch chips

1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed

3 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon cinnamon

For the Dough

2 cups flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), chilled and cut into cubes

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup Carnation Evaporated Milk

For the topping

1 egg white

Turbinado sugar (such as Sugar in the Raw)

Preheat the oven to 425F degrees.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Prepare the swirl:  Place the butterscotch chips, brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon in the work bowl of a food processor.  Process the mixture until it is well blended; set aside.

Prepare the dough:  Wipe out the bowl of the processor.  Place both flours, the sugar, baking powder, and salt into the bowl.  Pulse the mixture to blend.  Sprinkle the butter over the flour mixture and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.  Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, vanilla, and evaporated milk.  Add this mixture to the dry ingredients and stir with a fork until the dough just comes together.  Turn the mixture out onto a floured work surface and knead it until it comes together.  Press the cinnamon swirl mixture into the dough until it starts to look marbleized.

Pat the dough into a 1-inch thick rectangle. Cut the dough into 12 squares or, using a round cutter, cut it into circles.  Place the scones on the prepared baking sheets.  Brush the top of each scone with the egg white and then sprinkle each with some of the sugar.

Bake the scones for 12-15 minutes, until the bottoms are browned and the tops are lightly golden.

Comments

[Julie Hession]

Hi Amanda!

Thats really funny. Im glad to know that I am not the only victim of a hungry lab! Im sure that he will trick me again--hes too crafty :)

Best,

Julie

[Amanda]

That's too funny! I guess he thought you slaved in the kitchen just for him! They look really good though.

I have a yellow lab too and one day I was grilling burgers. I set the table, put buns on the plates and went out to check the grill. I came back inside and all the buns were gone! I wasn't even gone that long. Needless to say, that was the last time I left buns unattended!

[Julie Hession]

That is such a funny coincidence. We also have a dog named Cameron, named after Cameron Indoor Stadium at Duke. My friend named his lab Lambeau, after the field. Looks like the stadium theme is a growing trend :)

[Julie Hession]

Thanks, Laurie! If you do, let me know what you think......seeing as Fenway ate all of mine!!

[Karen]

Haha... what a gorgeous dog - and smart too! Fenway looks exactly like my daughter's dog, Wrigley! (Yes, after the field.) Isn't that a weird coincidence??? I bet the swirl in these scones just puts them over the top!

[Laurie]

omg-----I might have to get up early to make these........