Orange Glazed Blueberry Scones

     As a dutch oven cook, I can never have too many scone recipes.  What makes this recipe from Tyler Florence and the Food Network so good is the sweet, fragrant orange glaze.  I halved the original glaze recipe and did not make it in a double boiler as suggested.  Instead I made it in a heavy bottomed saucepan, whisking continuously until it thickened.  I would suggest removing your scones from your dutch oven before drizzling them with the glaze.  In my 10 inch dutch oven the scones baked for a total of 24 minutes with 10 coals in a ring around the base of the oven with 22 on the lid.  If you decide to make them with frozen blueberries, add them straight from the freezer to the batter.  They are tender and delicious on their own but the buttery marmalade-like glaze makes them downright delectable.

Orange Glazed Blueberry Scones
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup (half stick) chilled, unsalted butter cut into small pieces
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
Orange Glaze:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 heaping cup confectioner's sugar
1 orange, juiced and zested

     Lightly oil or spray dutch oven.
     In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar; mix thoroughly.
     Cut in butter using 2 forks or a pastry blender, the butter pieces should be coated with flour and resemble crumbs.
     In another bowl, mix buttermilk and egg together; add to flour mixture, mix until just combined.
     Carefully fold in blueberries.
     Drop large tablespoons of batter into prepared dutch oven.
     Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
     Allow to cool before applying orange glaze.
     To prepare glaze: 
     Combine butter, confectioners sugar, orange zest and juice in heavy bottomed saucepan.
     Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until butter and sugar have melted and glaze has thickened.
     Allow glaze to cool slightly before brushing or drizzling over scones.
     Makes 6 to 12 scones.

Add heaping tablespoons of batter into well oiled oven

Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes

Allow to cool then drizzle with orange glaze
Truly scrumptious

Bacon and Date Scones

     If you have ever savored a bacon wrapped date as an hors d'oeuvre, you are going to love these sweet and savory scones.  From Bon Appetit, this recipe makes just the right amount for your 10 inch dutch oven.  Rather than kneading, patting out the dough and cutting it into wedges, I took the easy way out and plopped spoonfuls of batter right into my well oiled oven.  They baked for 20 minutes with 10 coals in a ring around the base of the oven and 24-26 on the lid.  Don't worry if they fuse together while baking, just cut them while they're hot and allow them to cool a bit before removing from your oven. 

Bacon and Date Scones
10 slices thick-cut bacon
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup coarsely chopped pitted Medjool dates
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2/3 cup buttermilk
Raw sugar for sprinkling tops of scones

     Lightly oil or spray dutch oven.
     Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until cooked through but still tender and not crisp.
     Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain; cool.
     Pour bacon drippings from skillet into small heatproof bowl and reserve.
     Coarsely chop cooled bacon.
     In large bowl, whisk flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt until well combined.
     Using pastry blender or two knives cut cold butter into flour until mixture resembles small crumbs.
     Add bacon and dates to flour mixture; mix until well combined.
     Add buttermilk, stir until just combined.
     Drop dough by large spoonfuls into prepared dutch oven.
     Brush with reserved bacon drippings and sprinkle with raw sugar.
     Bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.
     Allow to cool slightly before removing from oven.
     Makes 7-8 scones.

Spoon batter into well oiled oven then brush with
bacon drippings and sprinkle with sugar

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes

A sensational combination of flavors in a flaky, buttery scone

Eggnog Scones

     These delicious scones have all the flavors and fragrance of Christmas.  Brimming with cranberries, cinnamon and oatmeal, the subtle taste of eggnog really does shine through.  In my 10 inch dutch oven, the scones baked for 18 minutes with 10 coals in a ring around the bottom and 22 briquettes on the lid.  When you can smell the eggnog drifting from your oven, you'll know they're done.  Drizzle them with the thick, sweet glaze once they're cool enough to handle.  Eggnog only comes around once a year so take advantage of it while it's here and bake up a batch of these holiday scones.

Eggnog Scones
2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup eggnog
1/3 cup dried cranberries
Glaze
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1 1/2 Tblsp eggnog

     Lightly oil or spray dutch oven.
     In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg.
     With pastry blender or two knives, cut butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
     Stir in cranberries and oatmeal.
     Add eggnog and mix until just combined, adding more liquid if necessary to make a moist dough.
     Drop large spoonfuls of batter into prepared oven.
     Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes or golden brown.
     In small bowl whisk together eggnog and confectioner's sugar.
     When scones are cool enough to handle, drizzle with glaze.
     Makes 8 large scones.

Drop batter by large spoonfuls into prepared oven

 Bake for 15-18 minutes at 425 degrees

Rich, eggnoggy and so good

Bacon Cheddar Chive Scones

     Here's a wonderful savory scone recipe from King Arthur Flour, they're brimming with bacon, tangy Cheddar and chives.  I used fresh cut chives from the garden and hand grated a good sharp Cheddar but cheated by using a 2.5 oz. box of fully cooked bacon.  You know how much I love scones made in my dutch oven, there's nothing like them and this recipe is no exception.  I added almost a full cup of heavy cream as I like my biscuit and scone doughs on the wet side.  You can pat them in a circle and cut them into wedges or drop them like biscuits into your oven.  I piled as many coals as I could on my 10 inch oven lid, about 28, and placed 10 around the bottom.  In exactly 22 minutes they were cooked to perfection.  You'd think they would be heavy and dense but they're actually quite light and tender.  So all you bacon Cheddar lovers out there, fire up your dutch ovens and give these a try, this one is sure to go to the top of your recipe list. 

Bacon Cheddar Chive Scones
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tblsp baking powder
2 tsp sugar
4 Tblsp (1/2 stick) cold butter, cut in small pieces
1 cup coarsely grated Cheddar cheese
1/3 cup snipped fresh chives OR finely diced scallion tops
1/2 lb bacon, cooked, cooled, and crumbled (about 1 cup)
3/4 cup plus 2 Tblsp heavy cream or enough to made dough cohesive

     Lightly oil or spray dutch oven.
     Whisk together flour, salt, baking powder and sugar.
     Work butter into the flour with fingers or pastry cutter until the mixture is crumbly.
     Mix in the cheese, chives and bacon until evenly distributed.
     Add 3/4 cup cream, stirring to combine, add more cream, if needed, until the dough comes together.
     Pat dough into a 7 inch disc and cut into 8 wedges or form into 10 biscuit sized rounds.
     Place into prepared dutch oven and brush with cream if desired.
     Bake at 425 degrees for 22-24 minutes or until golden brown.
     Serve warm or at room temperature.

Form dough into biscuit shaped rounds and place in
well oiled oven

Bake in a hot oven for 22-24 minutes

My new favorite savory scone 

Blueberry Buttermilk Scones

     These Blueberry Buttermilk Scones from Martha Stewart could float right out of your oven.  The addition of cake flour and the extra baking powder make them especially light and tender.  If you don't have cake flour on hand go ahead and use two full cups of the all-purpose variety.  The batter is wet enough to drop by spoonfuls into your dutch oven if you don't feel like patting out the dough and cutting it into wedges.  The scones baked for 20 minutes in my 10 inch dutch oven with 10 coals in a ring around the bottom and 26 briquettes on the lid.  Like biscuits, you need cold butter and a hot oven to help them rise.  While blueberries are in season, give these beauties a try and if you need to use frozen blueberries, add them right from the freezer into the dough.

Blueberry Buttermilk Scones
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cake flour (not self rising)
3 Tblsp granulated sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 oz (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup blueberries
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 egg, plus 1 egg lightly beaten for egg wash
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Fine sugar, for sprinkling

     Lightly oil or spray dutch oven.
     In large bowl, whisk together flours, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt.
     Cut in butter with a pastry cutter, or rub in with your fingers, until mixture has the texture of coarse meal.
     Stir in blueberries.
     Whisk together buttermilk, 1 egg and vanilla.
     Add wet ingredients to flour mixture, stir lightly with a fork until dough comes together.
     Turn out dough on work surface and gently knead once or twice.
     Pat dough into a 9 inch circle, cut into 8 wedges.
     Carefully place wedges in prepared dutch oven.
     Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with fine sugar.
     Bake at 400 degrees for 20-22 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
     Cool for 15 minutes before removing from dutch oven.

Pat dough into a circle and cut into 8 wedges or drop
by large spoonfuls into prepared oven

Bake at 400 degrees for 20-22 minutes

Busting with blueberries and lighter than air
 

Banana Bread Scones with Brown Sugar Glaze

     I was having scone withdrawals today, it's been a while since I made them in my dutch oven and this cool morning seemed like the perfect opportunity to test a new recipe.  These Banana Bread Scones are so good you don't even need to serve them with butter or jam.  This makes a wet batter, perfect for spooning into your oven.  I can never wait until they have cooled completely so I drizzled the glaze over them a couple of times while they were still warm.  I always bake scones in my 10 inch dutch oven, they rise higher when they're nestled in together and, as always, placed 10 coals around the base of the oven and completely covered the lid with briquettes.  Twenty five minutes later, or when the steam was pouring out of the oven, they were done.  If you're a fan of banana bread you're going to love these beauties, they really are in a league of their own.

Banana Bread Scones
2 large, ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup plain yogurt
4 Tblsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour
4 Tblsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
4 Tblsp cold butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
For the Glaze
1 Tblsp butter, melted
2 Tblsp milk
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4-1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

     Lightly oil or spray dutch oven.
     Mash the bananas; stir in milk, yogurt and vanilla extract.
     In a large bowl whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon together.
     Cut butter into flour mixture using a fork, pastry cutter or your fingertips.
     Add the banana mixture to the flour; stir just until combined.
     Fold in walnuts, if desired.
     Drop batter by large spoonfuls into prepared dutch oven.
     Bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until scones are golden brown.
     Remove from dutch oven and allow to cool.
     To make the glaze, melt the butter with the milk over low heat or in the microwave.
     Add the brown sugar and vanilla; stir until the sugar has melted.
     Whisk in the confectioner's sugar, starting with 1/4 cup and adding more as needed to make a thick glaze; drizzle over scones.
     Makes 7-8 scones.

Spoon wet batter into well oiled dutch oven

Bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes

Drizzle with brown sugar glaze and dive in

Lemon Blueberry Drop Scones

      Surely one of the first signs of summer is the drop in price of fresh blueberries.  I picked up a few pints then was lucky enough to discover this recipe for Lemon Blueberry Drop Scones from Allrecipes.com.  What makes this scone recipe different from the ones I've made before is the addition of a beaten egg, melted butter and a cup of yogurt.  It's so easy you don't even have to cut in the butter.  I bought a single serving container of Greek style lemon yogurt and it was not quite a full cup so you may have to buy two or add some plain yogurt like I did.  If you like it on the lemony side, pick up two lemons, one isn't quite enough for all the grated rind you'll need.  I also added a bit more confectioner's sugar as I like my glaze thicker than the recipe calls for.  In my 10 inch oven, they baked with 10 coals in a ring around the bottom and the lid completely covered with briquettes, maybe 26-28.  When I saw the steam pouring out from under the lid, I checked them and they were golden brown and ready to go.  Tart, fresh and a wonderful way to start a summer's day, you've got to give these a try. 

Lemon Blueberry Drop Scones
2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp grated lemon peel
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup lemon yogurt
1 egg
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 cup fresh OR frozen blueberries
Glaze
1/2-3/4 cup confectioner's sugar
1 Tblsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp grated lemon peel

     Lightly oil or spray dutch oven.
     In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and grated lemon peel.
     In separate bowl, combine yogurt, egg and melted butter.
     Stir into dry ingredients, just until moistened.
     Fold in blueberries.
     Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls into prepared dutch oven.
     Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.
     Combine glaze ingredients; drizzle over warm scones.

Ten scones just fit in my 10 inch oven

The boys are back in town

Bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees or until golden brown

Drizzle on the yellow glaze and gobble them up while they're still warm

Creamy Orange Scones

     We finally got a break from the rainy weather this morning, long enough for me to bake these unique and delicious Creamy Orange Scones from King Arthur.  Once you make the batter, all you have to do is pat the dough into your 10 inch dutch oven, top with marmalade and bake for 25-30 minutes in a hot oven.  Since they have the marmalade on the outside you have to keep an eye on them, the sugar will caramelize as if under a hot broiler.  I started with 10 coals in a ring around the bottom with 22 on top.  After 20 minutes I gave them a peek, noticed they were browning rather quickly and removed some coals from the center of the lid.  These really are so creamy and moist, more like a scone-cake.  Very easy to make, just be careful when you cut them, the marmalade is extremely hot, there is nothing like piping hot sugar to give you a nasty burn.
      Just a quick tip, if you don't have buttermilk on hand, pour a tablespoon of white vinegar into a one cup measure then top it off with milk.  Stir it well and let it sit for a few minutes before using in your recipe.

Creamy Orange Scones
3 cups all-purpose flour
4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
grated rind (zest) of 1 orange
1/2 cup (1 stick) iced cold butter, cut into tiny pieces
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
Topping
3/4 cup orange marmalade

     Lightly oil or spray 10 inch dutch oven; line with parchment paper.
     In medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and grated rind.
     Cut the butter into the dry ingredients with pastry blender, your fingers, or fork.
     Mix until the butter is fairly well combined with flour, a few lumps remaining are OK.
     Whisk together the egg, vanilla and buttermilk.
     Add wet ingredients to flour mixture, stirring gently until everything is well moistened and just combined.
     Spread the scone batter in prepared dutch oven.
     Spread the marmalade atop the scone batter, gently pushing it down with a fork.
     Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes, adjusting coals halfway through cooking time if necessary.
     Scones are done when edges are golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
     Cool in dutch oven for 10 minutes before lifting out onto platter.
     Carefully cut into 8 wedges as marmalade topping is very hot; serve warm.

Gently pat dough into parchment lined dutch oven

Top with orange marmalade

Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until tester comes out clean

Very moist, tender and tastes a little like a Creamsicle

Ginger Scones

   You're probably thinking, oh no, here comes another scone recipe.  Before you close your browser, take my word for it, these Ginger Scones from Nancy Silverton at La Brea bakery in Los Angeles are positively out of this world.  Nancy says they are still the best selling scone at the bakery.  I thought the amount of candied ginger might make them too hot and spicy but the ginger melts into the buttery layers and leaves just a subtle hint of warmth followed by the fresh taste of lemon.  The original recipe calls for a stick and a half of butter, I used only 1 stick and they were moist beyond belief.  The air was bone dry here today so I added an extra 1/4 cup of cream, start with 3/4 cup and add more if you need it.  I patted the dough into a 10 inch circle and cut out the scones with my biscuit cutter.  You can also slice them into wedges.  In my 10 inch oven they baked in 18 minutes with 10 coals in a ring around the bottom and the lid completely covered with coals, maybe 24-26.  Also, refer to the link for the original recipe if you want to make them in your food processor, I prefer to cut in the butter by hand.  Every bite of these light and flaky scones is infused with the essence of ginger and lemon, pour yourself a cup of tea and savor their amazing flavor and aroma.

Ginger Scones
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 Tblsp baking powder
1 tsp finely chopped OR grated lemon zest (1 lemon)
1 stick (8 Tblsp) unsalted butter, well chilled and cut into small pieces
4 1/2 oz. candied ginger, finely chopped into 1/4 inch pieces, about 2/3 cup
3/4 to 1 cup heavy cream, plus extra for brushing the tops of the scones

     Lightly oil or spray dutch oven.
     Combine flour, sugar and baking powder in large bowl.
     Add cold butter and cut in with pastry cutter or two knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
     Add the lemon zest and mix well.
     Stir in the ginger.
     Make a well in the center and pour in the cream, stir in dry ingredients until just combined.
     Turn dough onto a lightly floured work surface and gently knead a few times to gather dough into a ball.
     Roll or pat dough into a circle about 1 inch thick.
     Cut into circles with 3 inch round cutter.
     Place side by side in prepared dutch oven, brush tops with remaining cream.
     Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Cut dough with biscuit cutter and brush with cream before placing in oven

Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes

Serve with some apricot preserves and you will feel like you died and went to heaven

Butterscotch Drop Scones

      Since I've started dutch oven cooking I guess you could say I've become mad about scones.  They're just so easy to make and since they usually cook in 15 to 20 minutes they're the next best thing to immediate gratification.  Plus I can light the coals then quickly mix the ingredients together and spoon them into my oven.  These Butterscotch Drop Scones from a 2004 edition of Bon Appetit are your basic, buttery scone with the addition of sweet butterscotch chips.  In my 10 inch oven they baked for 20 minutes with 10 coals in a ring around the bottom and roughly 22 briquettes on the lid.  If you can stand the wait, let them sit for a good 15 minutes in your oven to cool, they are quite crumbly when hot.  Give yourself a sweet treat with these moist and crispy butterscotch scones.

Butterscotch Drop Scones
2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup (packed) brown sugar
1 Tblsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled, unsalted butter, diced
1 cup butterscotch chips (about 6 oz.)
1/2 cup (or more) whipping cream
1 large egg

     Lightly oil or spray dutch oven.
     Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into medium bowl.
     Cut in chilled butter with pastry blender or rub in with your fingertips until coarse meal forms.
     Mix in chips.
     Whisk 1/2 cup cream and egg in small bowl to blend.
     Gradually add cream mixture to dry ingredients, tossing with fork until dough comes together in moist clumps.
     Add more cream by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry.
     Drop dough by 1/4 cupfuls into prepared dutch oven.
     Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown and tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Add chips to flour mixture

Drop batter into your dutch oven

Bake for 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees

Moist scones with soft chunks of butterscotch in every bite

Pumpkin Espresso Scones With Coffee Glaze

     The recipe for these Pumpkin Espresso Scones comes courtesy of Becca Hartke from the Smiles Coffeehouse in St. Louis, Missouri.  Adding strong coffee or espresso to pumpkin scones really piqued my curiosity, I had to give them a try and let me tell you, I was not disappointed.  I did not have any allspice on hand so substituted one teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice for the allspice and ginger.  You really can't go wrong with the substitution because pumpkin pie spice contains allspice, ginger and cinnamon.  As usual, I baked them in my 10 inch dutch oven with 10 coals in a ring around the bottom and the lid completely covered in coals.  After 15 minutes in a hot oven they were golden brown and cooked through.  Let them cool for 20 minutes or so before drizzling them with the glaze.  The frosting gives these light and spicy scones a hint of coffee flavor.  Jump start your day by venturing out into the backyard on a cool fall morning and baking up a batch of these tasty scones.

Pumpkin Espresso Scones With Coffee Glaze
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter
1 large egg
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon canned or fresh pumpkin puree
3 tablespoons brewed espresso or extra-strong coffee, chilled; divided
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 to 1/2 cup powdered sugar

     Lightly oil or spray dutch oven.
     In medium mixing bowl, stir together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, allspice and ginger.
     Cut butter into small pieces.  Add to flour mixture, working butter in with a fork or pastry blender just until crumbly.
     In another bowl, stir together egg, pumpkin, 2 tablespoons coffee and buttermilk.  Add to flour mixture.  Stir around the bowl, scraping the sides, about 4 turns until the dough holds together.  Don't over mix, the batter will be a little lumpy.
     Drop by large spoonfuls into prepared dutch oven.
     Bake for 15-18 minutes at 375 degrees or until scones are lightly browned and firm to the touch in the center.
     Let scones cool for 20 minutes before frosting.
     For the glaze, place remaining 1 tablespoon coffee in a small mixing bowl.  Gradually add powdered sugar, whisking until the glaze is thin enough to pour over the scones but thick enough to set quickly.
     Pour glaze over cooled scones.

Drop large spoonfuls of batter into bottom of prepared oven

Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned and cooked through

Cool slightly before glazing and enjoy

Pumpkin Scones

     I absolutely love making scones in my dutch oven.  Not only are they simple to make, there is something about baking them in the concentrated heat of a camp oven that renders them tender on the inside with just the right amount of crispiness on the outside.  Biting into these Pumpkin Scones from the Joy of Baking site will remind you of your favorite pumpkin bread.  I omitted the raisins and nuts but a handful of dried cranberries would probably be another terrific combination.  Also, I used the full half cup of buttermilk as I like my scones and biscuits a little on the wet side.  I baked these in my 10 inch oven with 10 coals in a ring around the bottom and the lid completely covered with approximately 24 briquettes.  Check them after 15 minutes, they do brown rather quickly.  For a real fall treat wash down these warm and spicy scones with a mug of hot apple cider.

Pumpkin Scones
2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup light or dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup raisins (optional)
1/4 cup toasted and chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
1/3 - 1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup fresh or canned pure pumpkin (if using canned pumpkin make sure there are no spices or sugar added)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Egg Wash:
1 large beaten egg
1 tablespoon milk or cream

     Lightly oil or spray dutch oven.
     In large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
     Cut the butter into small pieces and blend into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives, the mixture should look like coarse crumbs.
     Stir in the raisins and pecans if using.
     In separate bowl mix together the buttermilk, pumpkin puree and vanilla; add to the flour mixture. 
     Mix just until the dough comes together, do not over mix.
     Drop dough by spoonfuls into prepared dutch oven.
     Combine beaten egg and cream; brush over tops of scones.
     Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Drop spoonfuls of orange  batter into well oiled oven

Brush with egg wash and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes

Moist, spicy scones taste more like warm pumpkin bread