easy pumpkin and parmesan scones with thyme
These pumpkin and parmesan scones are quick and easy to whip up and are perfect to serve as a savoury component for tea or brunch. I had not planned to jump on the pumpkin-recipe bandwagon that seems to have taken the internet by storm, and Pinterest is awash with orange at the moment. I look in amazement as people come up with interesting and weird ways to cook and bake with pumpkin. Halloween is not a big deal in South Africa and has only been adopted as a celebration in recent years, so the pumpkin holiday is not part of my culture. We are also moving into Summer, leaving the hearty and comforting food behind to embrace stone fruit and salads, while everything pumpkin is just perfect for the Northern Hemisphere right now.
As it turned out, I needed to do one last blog post before I head off to London tomorrow, and I wanted to bake something for my third Sasko Flour commissioned recipe. I had two small butternuts that would not last until I got back and I happened to have a lot of Parmesan, so decided these scones would be fabulous.
Butternut is part of the pumpkin patch – so you could use either as they are so similar, and thyme is my favourite herb to accompany it. It gives the scones a lovely earthy flavour.
I also decided to make a whipped goat cheese spread to slather on the warm scones as they came out of the oven. Butter is always fantastic, but the goat’s cheese whipped into a smooth and fluffy texture with cream cheese was delicious.
I have been baking with Sasko Self Raising Flour a lot recently and I’m loving the results. I always prefer to use self-raising flour when a recipe calls for it as I have a sense of confidence that the correct balance of raising agents are in the mix.
Baking is a science and there is a difference between baking powder and baking soda. Baking powder is a mix of baking soda (or bicarbonate of soda) and cream of tartar (derived from tartaric acid) and corn starch, whereas bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), is just that. Baking soda needs an acid in the recipe in order to react and cause the rise. It gets quite technical, and its the reason why I enjoy baking with self-raising flour, all the raising agent issues are taken care of.
I hope you enjoy my recipe and the build-up to Halloween (if you celebrate). I’m taking a much-needed week off to visit London, friends and immerse myself in all things food. I’m so thrilled to have won the Bill Granger blog challenge through my post on his Lime and coconut delicious, and although I have little downtime planned (apart from the flight), I can’t wait to report back here on all the exciting things I find. I will, of course, be updating my Instagram feed with loads of pics of my trip.
Ingredients
- 350 g pumpkin or butternut peeled and cut up into cubes
- 21/2 cups Sasko Self Raising Flour
- 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 t salt
- 1/2 t black pepper
- 2 t fresh thyme leaves roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 T buttermilk
- 3 T sunflower or pumpkin seeds optional for the top
whipped goats cheese spread
- 100 g cream cheese
- 100 g goats cheese/chevin
- 2 T milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200 C (400 F)
- Steam the pumpkin in a metal basket or sieve over boiling water (lid on). Cook for 10 - 15 minutes until soft. set aside to cool and dry off in the air. Blend in a food processor or with an immersion blender until smooth.
- Mix the flour, Parmesan, thyme, salt and pepper in a bowl.
- Add the buttermilk and pumpkin puree to the dry mixture and using a knife lightly mix it until it is just combined.
- Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured surface and knead slightly to form a dough.
- Press the dough down to about 4-5cm and cut the scones using a 5 - 6cm cookie cutter and place on a baking sheet lined with silicone or baking paper.
- Mix the egg yolk and extra buttermilk together and brush the tops of the scones.
- Sprinkle on the seeds, and bake in the oven for 20 - 25 minutes until golden brown.
whipped goats cheese spread
- Put the cream cheese, goats cheese and milk in a bowl and whisk using an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
*Disclaimer – This is the third recipe in a series I have made for Sasko using their flour. You can check out the first recipe for an easy herb, cheese and onion bread here, and the second, and apple cake with maple frosting here.
I look forward to connecting with you again in the future.
I can also be found enthusiastically pinning beautiful food images on Pinterest and on Instagram
I have a recipe for pumpkin biscuits that I love but I will have to try your scones next – love the parmesan and thyme!
Pumpkin scones are the best! Love that shot with the slather of butter there. Amazing!
Beautiful colour!
I love pumpkin ALL year round! This recipe looks amazing, like always! Enjoy your trip – you totes deserve it!
Love
Anina
Thanks Chung – Ah 🙂
Hey Lolly pop, they were so bright yellow, almost artificially so xx
Thanks Anina – so excited about my trip – S xx
I love the color on these scones. They sound perfect for autumm 🙂
You’re really talented 🙂 (guess you hear that a lot).
Stunning pics….
Oh Wow Sam, you know you never seize to amaze me with your creations and photography–and Voila–this is a recipe i can try–the egg is only used to brush the tops–well this does it–this is what i am baking for the weekend.
Have a blast on your trip and just enjoy–
I pinned this the moment it hit pinterest. Loving the idea and the pictures.
Yum, these look delicious! I have never made pumpkin scones before.. I will be giving these a go:)
Wonder if one can use canned pumpkin puree.
You had me at cream cheese! 🙂
OMG this looks crazy tasty :O
Hi Daisy, I’m sure that canned pumpkin will work perfectly.
Hi Usha, thanks for the very kind words, yes just brush with a little buttermilk and perhaps add some of your amazing spice mixes x
Thanks Euodia (I try) 🙂
These look so good and such a fab colour too. Perfect for autumn!
These look delicious. There has been so many Fall desert recipes that I really enjoy savory ones.
I am pinning your recipe.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/462744930433705590/
Enjoy London,
Maria
http://www.musicteachingandparenting.com
these look A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. anything with goat cheese had me at hello 🙂
Ha ha Colette – you and I are the same in that regard then 🙂
Thanks Maria – I hope you get to make them – they are so super easy and delis.
These sound so unusual but definitely worth the taste. May give this one a whirl. Nice job and gorgeous photos!
Thanks Donna, they really are rather easy and delis
These look so deliciously flaky! I would love to have one with the whipped goat cheese 🙂 And maybe a drizzle of honey!
Oooo Brandon, yes to the honey drizzle 🙂
Hey
They look amazing, i will make them.
(My English is not good)
I have some questions: what does T mean? Tabelspoon?
and what does t mean? teaspoon?
Thx
How much is 21/2 Cups in gramm?
How much buttermilk do I Need?
1/2 Cup and 1T buttermilk?
or just 1/2 Cup?
Oh sorry now I saw what i need to do with the buttermilk, sorry…
Hi Celine – yes T = tablespoon and t = teaspoon. I do not have the cup wait, sorry.
I’m going to make these with pumpkin purée, but I’m trying to figure out how much I’ll need. Did you happen to measure how much your fresh pumpkin came out to be? Do you think I should use 2/3 cup, 3/4 cup or 1 full cup (U.S. measurement)? Thanks!
Thank you for the nice recipes. I love to cook and bake and I am going to give it a try.
How much flour is this recipe calling far? I used what the recipe said and my biscuits were very dry. I even added way more buttermilk.
Hi, Bethany, I have indicated the flour in the recipe and this is correct. Perhaps you didn’t measure properly or added too much flour? This could be corrected by adding a bit more of the wet ingredients. It’s hard to know exactly what went wrong on your side.