Roasted Pumpkin Scones with Fresh Ginger and Cranberries

The aroma of roasted pumpkin is such an awesome thing to have perfuming your home.  Days later I was still smelling that delicious scent.  It seems to linger.  Since a little piece of that fabulous pumpkin was left, I thought how nice pumpkin scones would taste, with a bit of fresh minced ginger and some cranberries .  The sort of thing I wake up thinking about.  To go with my hot cocoa.

To tell you the honest truth, I will never boil or steam another pumpkin, which amounts to flavorless really, when compared to a roasted specimen.   An executive decision has been made in this kitchen.  I am only saddened to think of all those wasted years, of cooking pumpkin the wrong way, just the difference between diluting a flavor or concentrating it.

So, what you do with a little dab of left-over (aside from frying it up with an egg) is to mash and add to this lovely scones recipe from Alice Waters.  Which I did, with a few other adjustments.  Like adding some spices and cranberries, using  kefir instead of cream (but feel free to go with the cream) and a bit of soda to balance the acidity in kefir.

Pumpkin Scones with Ginger and Cranberries

1/4 cup roasted pumpkin, skinned and mashed
1  1/4 cup kefir (if using cream eliminate the baking soda)
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
dash cloves
2 1/4 cups flour (I used part spelt)
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons coarse turbinado sugar

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Mash the pumpkin in a glass measuring cup and add kefir to make up 1 1/2 cups. Add in the cranberries.  In a large bowl mix the dry ingredients until well combined.  Add the pumpkin mixture and stir just to incorporate. It will be a bit sticky. Knead gently a few times on a floured work surface, and pat into an 8 inch circle.  Cut into 8 wedges and place on parchment lined baking sheet or a silicone liner, 1 inch apart.  Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with the coarse sugar.  Bake about 17 minutes or until lightly browned.

Now enjoy with your coffee, tea or hot cocoa.  This will be going over to Hearth 'n Soul Blog Hop, hosted by Swathi at her zesty site.