Pumpkin Curry Scones

"Pivoting like old watches
on their hidden jewels,
the tall trees out the window turn toward winter."

~ Jane Hirshfield, from "Storm: Yaddo, 1989," in The October Palace

A few days ago my beloved genteel ash tree was taken down in a noisy flurry of cold metal chainsaws and frustrated shouts from men wearing hard hats and thick industrial gloves. I knew it had to be done - last May I was told the tree had succumbed to something called emerald ash borer (what a graceful name for something destructive!). Over the years I had noticed a few leafless patches in the tree's canopy but I chalked it up to the dramatic storms of late spring...apparently a lush green beetle is mightier than a handful of errant lightening strikes.

I'm fortunate enough to be surrounded by several other large trees, but without the ash softly brushing its extended branches against the neighboring oak, the yard looks like it's missing a limb. I wish I had read beneath her protective umbrella of summer leaves more often, or at least taken notice of her stoic warmth as I pulled into the driveway, instead of honing in on the opening mouth of a frigid garage. According to the rings in her trunk, which is now flush with the ground, the ash was quite ancient. When old trees are torn down I wonder if every other tree in the world can feel a quiet shift in the earth - like a single grain of sand from a castle that's suddenly pulled into the ocean...

The leaves are in their prime and even though the ash tree didn't put on the most colorful show, I do miss her, truly. Maybe the flouncy clouds of autumn and the pensive blue skies have placed me on a closer frequency with nature. Hopefully I won't tune out this time.

October would not be autumn without a bounty of apples, pears, and pumpkins. As much as I wanted to make my own pumpkin filling, I decided to go with a canned rendition (so many leaves that require raking, and subsequent piles to fly into!).

These scones are kissed with hints of curry yet they still fall into the sweet end of the spectrum. I used half a teaspoon of curry but if you're not a fan of the mystical spice, feel free to chop the amount in half. Personally I adore curry, it might be my rosemary of winter! The sweet pumpkin tempers any residual bitterness with tender perfection whilst the glaze keeps the scones in the happy family of desserts. I found the scones to be even more flavourful on the second day, so if you can summon the will power, try setting aside four or one.

Now if you will please excuse me, there are trees that need appreciating...

Pumpkin Curry Scones
makes 12-15 small scones

for the scones
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 eggs
3 Tablespoons heavy cream
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon yellow curry powder (you can reduce the amount to 1/4 teaspoon, if desired)
7 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into small bits

for the glaze
generous 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 Tablespoons buttermilk (have an extra teaspoon or two on hand)
pinch of curry powder (about 1/4 teaspoon)


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

In a small bowl, combine the pumpkin, eggs, and cream - whisk until smooth; Set aside. 

In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, allspice, and curry powder. Toss in the chilled butter bits and, using a pastry cutter, work the butter into the dry ingredients until you're left with a crumbly mixture. {Note: Try not to overmix. It's okay to see a few large, errant chunks of butter.}

Add the pumpkin/cream mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until the dough comes together.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat it into a large circle (or square) that's about 3/4" thick. Use cookie/biscuit cutters to stamp out as many scones as possible. {Note: I used a 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter.} The dough scraps can be reused to make more scones but they might not be as fluffy as the first round.

Place scones onto prepare baking sheets, allowing for about 1/2-inch of spreading space between each one. Bake for 10-12 minutes - until the bottom edges are light golden brown and a toothpick inserted through the center comes out dry. Remove the sheets from the oven. Let the scones rest for about 3 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Cool completely before adding the glaze.

Prepare the glaze: Sift the confectioners' sugar into a small mixing bowl. Add one Tablespoon of cream and the curry powder; Whisk to combine. Slowly start to sprinkle in the remaining Tablespoon of cream, mixing as you add. Once the glaze is smooth and "drizzly," you can stop adding cream. If it still looks too thick after incorporating the last Tablespoon, add a splash more until the glaze thins out (about 1/2 teaspoon at a time). Dip a fork or a small whisk into the glaze and drizzle it over the cooled scones.