What a week! I finished planting my garden after a grueling few hours in the sun. I’ve barely been sleeping and dealing with minor health issues. I also burned the shit out of my hand after dropping a bowl of brown butter. Still, I managed to have a good week, visiting farmers markets 3 days in a row and spending Friday with my dad. Work was great and further solidified my love for my new job. I was going to make millionaire’s shortbread, but after burning myself I reconsidered. I soothed my hand in a bowl of cold butter instead, making maple walnut scones. 

Maple Walnut Scones

Monday was my gardening day. I put on my boots and shorts and forged my way through the afternoon sun. One of the first extremely hot days in Maine this summer. Instead of waiting for my dad to return to dump his trailer of loam in the garden, I stubbornly and excitedly imagined my finished brown plot and used a wheelbarrow to move the loam myself. I did about 15 trips. Pushing nearly 100 pound loads up the hill to the garden over and over again.

I was exhausted by the last trip, but still had to cover the top in soil and plant my seeds. I took a break. Drank some very cold water. And got back to work. I managed to finish prepping the garden, and I watered the soil but ran out of steam. The seeds would get planted later. I took it easy Tuesday and planned my blog recipe. My dad was due to have a routine surgery Friday and I offered to drive him home. He couldn’t eat leading up to it, and I felt sorry for him.

Millionaire’s Shortbread Dreams

He loves food as much as I do. So I thought of things I could make for him. To sneak into the hospital and surprise him after he was all done. I settled on millionaire’s shortbread – a layered dessert of shortbread, chewy caramel, and dark chocolate. He loves shortbread and caramel, and I wanted the chocolate for myself. I would cut them into small pieces, or bars, so they’d be easy to snack on. Maybe I’d even add some coconut or coffee or brown butter. 

I worked Wednesday and had a delightful day helping people find cooking equipment and answering culinary questions. Running up and down the stairs carrying toasters and blenders and juggling a few things at once at checkout. I bonded with my coworkers over horror movies and TV shows and headed home in the hot afternoon sun. We had burgers for dinner. I set my alarm and watched Love Island, which I’m trying to get into, before bed. Then, it was time for the farmers market.

I slept poorly. I’ve been sleeping miserably, waking up multiple times each night. Restless leg syndrome from my medication. I’ve tried everything to remedy it, even a Youtube video of white noise sounds meant to soothe jittery legs. I’m waiting patiently for it to get better and day-dreaming of a full night’s sleep. But for now, I’m surviving, and realizing I’m capable of just as much when I’m sleep deprived. Not that I enjoy being tired.

Farmers Markets + Gardening

I drove to the farmers market earlier than last week in hopes of a better selection and met a new vendor selling native Maine herbs and flowers. It was tempting to get some for my garden, but I already had each part of the plot planned. I did my usual walk around, picking up chicken salad, bagels, and vegetables. They had rhubarb again and summer strawberries. Most of the produce stands are still just selling seedlings, but I studied the tomato varieties and took my time.

When I left, I came home ready to make shortbread. My dad was home resting before his surgery, doing his crosswords in the living room as I melted butter. I wanted to make brown butter, so I let it bubble away on the stove. And in my delirious sleep-deprived state, I picked up the metal bowl of brown butter to place in the fridge and felt a quick, intense burning sensation. Unfortunately my instinct was to drop / throw the bowl, which made it worse. The boiling hot brown butter splattered on my leg, all over the floor, and burned the crap out of my hand. I yelled in pain and my dad came rushing to help.

Brown Butter from Hell

Long story short, I spent the next few hours running my hand under cold water, cleaning the kitchen floor, and feeling sorry for myself. Stubbornly I wanted to make it again, but even just the warmth of the oven caused my burn to throb. When I made my lunch I accidentally ran it under hot water and winced again. I decided to give myself a break and to plan a safer, easier recipe for the week. But something delicious and caramel-forward for both myself and my dad. The idea hit me when thinking about how I haven’t made scones in a while. I could make maple walnut scones with cinnamon, Maine maple syrup, and candied walnuts. 

Yes, candied walnuts are arguably more dangerous than brown butter. Any kind of caramel is extremely hot and scary. But I’ve made candied walnuts a hundred times, and it mostly involves just stirring them in a pot with sugar. My hand was feeling better, too, after resting for a day. My dad and I drove home after his surgery, stopping for lunch and more vegetable seeds, and I got to work. I told him I was going to make maple walnut scones and he sounded excited. I had more time than I expected, too, because they took him early at the hospital.

Quick Candied Walnuts

The cold butter and flour felt wonderful on my hands as I massaged the fat into the powder. I reveled in my freedom from spattering, bubbling brown butter and added an extra pinch of cinnamon to my dough. I wanted to make candied walnuts for my maple walnut scones, too. To give them a deep, extra rich flavor. I put candied walnuts in my banana bread sometimes, which is to-die for. The caramel, slightly bitter flavor goes so well with a sweet pastry. And thankfully I candied my walnuts safely, using a long spatula to maintain distance from the heat.

I poured the amber-glazed ridges onto parchment paper and let them cool for a bit while I got back to my cold butter. The maple walnut scones came together quickly, pouring my wet ingredients into the shaggy buttery dough. I used maple syrup, of course, as well as sour cream. It makes them super tender. I dumped it all onto the counter and played with my mess. 

My bench scraper helped bring it all together. Gently forming compact layers of buttery dough into a rectangle. Then, I decided to shape it into a circle. Triangular scones are the best. Like my loaded baked potato version. I cut out 6 equal maple walnut scones and placed them on a baking sheet. Then, they went into the fridge to chill. All I had left to do was coat them in cream, bake them, and make a maple glaze to go on top.

Cinnamon, Butter, and Sugar

I didn’t actually know if it would need it, being filled with sweet candied nuts and a little more sugar than my other scone recipes. My first taste would decide. After they cooled for a bit I brushed the tops with heavy cream and sprinkled them with sugar. They baked and grew a little and filled the kitchen with a warm, cinnamon-filled dough scent. I love scones so much. And these were so exciting. There’s nothing I’d rather eat for a quick, sweet breakfast. Carbs, a touch of sugar, and spices.

For the past year or so I’ve been addicted to these cinnamon chip scones from our local grocery store. I eat two a week. They’re amazing warm and have just the perfect amount of spice and sugar. But they’re also good cold, which reminds me of a brown sugar cinnamon pop tart. When I took my maple walnut scones out of the oven, they immediately reminded me so much of my beloved cinnamon scones. Almost identical in color and shape. They smelled heavenly. I could see little corners of walnuts poking out of the sides and tops and I couldn’t wait to try one.

Maple Glaze

I ate one warm with butter. It was flaky, soft, and filled with cinnamon flavor. Buttery and tender with occasional pops of crystallized walnuts that reminded me of theme park almonds. You can also taste the maple, but it’s not overwhelming. I decided then that I would go ahead and make a maple glaze. Since it’s already a liquid, maple syrup is ideal for a quick powdered sugar glaze. I added salt to keep it from getting too sweet. And I garnished my scones with an extra candied walnut, too. The touch of sweetness and maple flavor took the recipe over the edge into oh my god territory. I can’t think of a better sweet scone than this. 

So perhaps I’ll be making them again and again to supplement, or replace, my cinnamon scone habit. I want to try adding cardamom or ginger in the fall. Maybe even chocolate chips or pumpkin. The candied walnuts are incredible. They add so much needed texture, too, since scones are just dough. The sugary top helps too and the maple glaze is delicious, which crusts the tops with a delightful brown crown. I’m so happy with how my pictures came out too. The glazed, golden scones look heavenly against my black background. Editing was easy. 

Healing + Cooking

Thankfully my hand is healing well and isn’t causing me any pain. I have a cool scar that looks like a brush stroke. My legs are still restless, and my thumb is bothering me again. But I’m determined to have a normal healthy body again one day. I’m enjoying eating my maple walnut scones for breakfast to fuel my days at the cooking store. And I can’t wait for the staff meeting this week when we get to meet a representative from a knife company.

I’m getting addicted to Love Island, too, sorry to say, but it’s truly junk food for the soul. And I’m excited to keep watering my plants each day. To see the little green heads peek out of the earth slowly and surely until the garden is abundant, bright, and beautiful. Summer is just getting started! Thank you for reading, as always. Be sure to check out my Etsy shop for 100’s of recipe cards and art prints. Use code THEFORKEDRING for 25% off. See you next week!

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Maple Walnut Scones

Cinnamon maple scones with candied walnuts and a maple glaze.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American, British

Keyword maple, scones, walnuts

Prep Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author theforkedring

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/2 cup + 3 tbsp sugar
• 3 cups AP flour
• 1.5 tsp kosher salt
• 1.5 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter cold
• 1/3 cup heavy cream + more for topping
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp Maple Syrup
• 4 tbsp Turbinado sugar
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

• Combine walnuts with 1/2 cup sugar in a medium sauce pot over medium-high heat.
• Stir constantly until the sugar dissolves and coats the nuts in caramel. Pour nuts onto a nonstick silicon mat or a sheet of parchment paper.
• Combine flour, 3 tbsp sugar, kosher salt, cinnamon, most of the candied walnuts, and baking powder in a large bowl. Chop butter into small squares and chill for 5 minutes in the freezer.
• Combine heavy cream, vanilla, sour cream, egg, and 1 tbsp maple syrup in a separate bowl or pyrex. Mix until combined.
• Remove butter from freezer and add to the flour mixture. Quickly massage butter into flour until you have a sandy, crumby mixture.
• Add your liquid ingredients and stir just to combine into a shaggy dough. Dump dough onto a clean work surface and bring together into a 16″ disc (making sure no bits of flour remain.
• Cut your disc into 6 equal triangles and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Chill scones in fridge for at least 15-20 minutes before baking.
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush each scone in about a teaspoon of heavy cream with a pastry brush. Sprinkle Turbinado sugar evenly over the tops and bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown.
• Let scones cool. Combine 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 1/3 cup maple syrup, and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Whisk until combined into a smooth glaze.
• Dip each cooled scone into the glaze and let cool. Garnish with a candied walnut and serve warm.

Notes

• Feel free to add other warm spices to your flour mixture if you’d like! I’d recommend cardamom, ginger, or cloves. 
• Try not to overwork the dough. The dough is ready when it holds together into a disc and no floury bits remain. 
• You can use Demerara sugar if you don’t have Turbinado.