​(inspired byOnce Upon A Tart)       makes 8 scones

1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup stone-ground cornmeal
½ cup white whole wheat flour
¼ cup dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground ginger
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon orange zest
¾ cup dried cranberries
½ cup coarsely chopped pecans
8 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into ¼” cubes
½ cup sweet potato puree (preferably from oven roasted Garnet potatoes- I used a 7 oz. potato)
1 large egg
⅓ cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon good quality maple syrup
 
egg wash made from 1 egg whisked together with 2 tablespoons heavy cream
¼ cup good quality maple syrup for drizzle
 
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, white-whole wheat flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, spices and orange zest. Using a bench scraper, cut in the cold butter until it forms coarse crumbs. Add the cranberries and pecans, tossing with the flour/butter just to combine. Place the bowl with the flour/butter mixture in the freezer. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sweet potato puree, egg, heavy cream, vanilla and tablespoon of maple syrup.. Retrieve the bowl with the flour/butter mixture from the freezer. Add the wet ingredients to the flour/butter mixture, folding them in with a rubber scraper and then using your hand to finish combining the ingredients just until they come together. Do not overwork the dough. Gather the dough into a ball and turn it out onto a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper. Dust your fingers with flour and pat the dough into a circle about 6” in diameter, 1” thick. Use a bench scraper to cut the circle into 8 even triangles. Transfer the scones to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and set in the freezer until solid. The scones can then be well covered with plastic wrap or slid into a Ziploc bag and frozen until you are ready to bake them.
 
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the scones on a parchment lined baking sheet. To prevent the bottoms from getting too brown, I “double pan” by placing the baking sheet with the scones on top of a second baking sheet of the same size. Brush the tops of the scones with egg wash.  Bake on the middle rack of the oven, rotating the baking sheet halfway through, until the tops are golden and a toothpick comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes. Set on a rack to cool then drizzle with good quality maple syrup.
 

Honey Poached Quinces
3½ cups water
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup  + 2 tablespoons honey
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1 lemon
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped with the tip of a knife
3 quinces washed, peeled, (save peels) quartered and cored
 
In a large pot, combine the water, sugar, honey, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla bean and seeds. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add the quartered quinces and the peels (for color) and return to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover the fruit and liquid with a circle of parchment paper and cook over low heat until tender, about 2- 2½ hours. Use a slotted spoon to remove the quinces from the poaching liquid. Boil the poaching liquid until it reduces and is thick and syrupy, about 10 minutes. Strain. Place the poached quinces in the syrup and let the mixture cool completely before refrigerating.
 
One recipe of your favorite pie dough, enough for a double crusted 9” pie, divided into 2 discs
 
On a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper, roll out one disc of pie dough into a circle 12” in diameter and about ⅛” thick. Fit it into a 9” pie plate; fold and crimp the edges. On the same sheet of parchment paper, roll out the second disc of pie dough into a 10” circle, about ⅛”thick. Place the parchment and dough on a baking sheet. Refrigerate the bottom and top crusts while you prepare the filling.
 
Filling-
¼ cup honey
zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon lemon juice
pinch salt
1 tablespoon cornstarch
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cardamom
one half of a vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped with the tip of a knife
3 poached quinces, drained, sliced ⅛” thick, enough to equal 3 cups
2 pears, ripe but firm, peeled, cored, sliced ⅛” thick, enough to equal 2½ cups
2 apples, tart such as Granny Smith, Jonagold or Winesap, peeled, cored, sliced ⅛” thick, enough to equal 2½ cups
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
 
egg wash made from one egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon milk or heavy cream
coarse sanding sugar for sprinkling
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowl, combine the honey, lemon zest and juice.  In another small bowl, whisk together the salt, cornstarch, cinnamon, cardamom and seeds from the vanilla bean. Place the sliced quinces, pears and apples in a large bowl. Add the honey/lemon mixture and turn to coat using a rubber spatula. Add the salt/cornstarch/spices/vanilla bean to the fruit and stir to combine. Remove the bottom and top crusts from the refrigerator. Pour the filling into the pie shell, dot with the butter and drape the top crust over the fruit. Trim the edge of the top crust so it extends about 1” over the edge of the pie plate. Tuck the top and bottom crusts together, folding the edges under, then use your fingers to crimp the edge. Brush the top of the pie (not the edges) with the egg wash, sprinkle with the sanding sugar and cut vents into the top crust. Place the pie on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake on the bottom rack of the oven for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375 degrees, move the pie to the middle rack and continue baking for an additional 40-45 minutes, covering the edges with strips of aluminum foil if they are getting toasty. Bake until juices bubble thickly around the edges and through the vents. Let the pie cool completely before slicing. Refrigerate any leftovers.