My absolute favorite time of day is early in the morning when the light is golden or even still pink. The air is still, the birds are chirping and my mind is silent. In the summertime, I used to see the sun rise and set everyday. I would rise at 4:30 am to light my woodstove on our former Maine windjammer and part of the reason I got up that early was to soak up the silence that greeted me every time I emerged on deck. It’s a sacred time of day for me, the beginning, and I can’t help but think that how one starts the day affects how the rest of one’s day goes. Definitely, starting with reverence for the quite time, works for me. Now, my days still begin in silence, but they are at home, with coffee, meditation, gratitude, and yoga.
This weekend it was warm enough on Saturday to wrap up in a blanket with my hat and warm socks on and sip my steaming cup of coffee ensconced in the Adirondack chair in the back yard. What a delicious way to start the day.
Maple Pecan Scones
4 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup yogurt
1/2 cup milk
3 egg yolks
2 teaspoons maple extract
1/2 cup pecan pieces
1 large egg
1 teaspoon water
Preheat oven to 375º. Sift dry ingredients into a medium sized bowl and add the brown sugar. With a pastry knife, cut the butter into the flour and sugar mixture until it is well incorporated and it resembles coarse meal.
Make a well in the center of the mixture and add the maple syrup, yogurt, milk, egg yolks, maple extract and pecan pieces. Stir until it forms a ball.
Turn the dough onto a counter and knead 10 times – then stop (even if you want to keep going!). Pat the dough into an 8-inch round and cut into 8 or 16 equal wedges, placing them on a cookie sheet 1-2 inches apart. You can also leave the round dough whole before transferring it to the cookie sheet and score the same number of pieces but cook it whole. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes longer if you keep it whole.
In a small bowl whisk the egg and water and brush the scones with the glaze.
Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly brown. Serve warm with butter or jam.
Makes 8 large scones
© 2009 Anne Mahle
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