The other night, Alex and I were on our typical after-dinner walk when the topic of discussing our favorite month of the year came up. Yes, I know that’s a topic that’s usually saved for bad dates or icebreakers on the first day of summer camp, but we were honestly interested in what each other thought. We both agreed that October was far and away our favorite month for the same typical reasons: we love the change in weather and the cozier, chillier nights, the increase in watching horror movies all throughout the month leading up to Halloween, and lastly, all the seasonal food/drinks (apple pie, ciders, hearty soups, pumpkin baked goods, etc.) that start to creep back into our diets.
Alex brought up one more reason, a sentimental one, which was that October was the month in which we first ever visited Portland, Maine. Just in case you’re new here, Alex and I lived in Portland for about a year and a half starting in 2020, and we miss it greatly. Although there’s beauty to be found in just about every season of the year in Portland, whether it’s the abundance of blooming flowers in the spring after a long, hard winter, or the sun-drenched days of summer that are filled with beach/lake swimming, hiking, etc, it is autumn when Portland and the entire state of Maine truly peaks. From the beautiful crisp weather, to the blazing fall foliage showcasing gold and crimson colors, to visiting orchards for apples and other local harvests, it’s hard to think of a more ideal time. Essentially, visiting Portland in October led us to fall in love with the city so much that we moved across the country because of it.
Since our conversation led us to being nostalgic over Portland and reliving our favorite memories, I wanted to bake something that reminded me not only of when we were living there, but mostly of the visit where we were first introduced to the magic that is Maine. On our first morning in Portland (we had flown a red-eye in and arrived starving for breakfast), we had breakfast at the beloved Tandem Bakery. I’ve discussed my love for this bakery numerous times in various blog posts, but I’ll just say again that if you ever find yourself in Portland, make sure you stop in (early!) and get yourself anything from the pastry case… you won’t regret it. I’ve never had anything short of amazing from Tandem, whether it was their signature biscuits, slices of loaf cakes, or the various seasonal pies, but the scones were what always called to me. Ever changing to reflect what was in season, the scones at Tandem were my favorite because not only did they have the best texture and level of sweetness, they were unique flavor-wise.
Today’s recipe is an ode to Tandem and their perfect scones that I crave on a weekly basis. I can’t remember if the flavor I’m sharing with you today was the first kind I had ever tried at Tandem, but I’ll definitely say it was a favorite of mine. The scone is apples with Chinese five spice, and although it sounds simple enough, the scones are unique and unlike typical autumnal flavors. If you’re unfamiliar with Chinese five spice, it’s a blend comprised of cinnamon, star anise, fennel seed, clove, and peppercorn. It’s the perfect balance of earthy, sweet, and spicy, and works beautifully in baked goods. It can be found in normal grocery stores in the baking aisle, but just make sure you get a blend with the spices that I mentioned above since some of them might have cumin or bay leaves.
I decided to roast my apples before adding them to the scone dough because I feel like it not only led to a better and deeper caramelized apple flavor, but it also helped with avoiding having unbaked apples in the final product. I roasted the chopped apples with maple syrup, vanilla extract and a bit of ground cardamom (my forever favorite spice) to really drive home the cozy, fall flavors that I wanted these scones to possess. I know it’s adding more work/time with roasting the apples beforehand, but it truly makes all of the difference. One final, and optional, element of these scones is finishing them with an apple cider glaze. Apple cider can be pretty pricey, so if you don’t feel like purchasing it just for the glaze, it’s totally skippable.
Roasted Apple and Chinese Five Spice Scones
Yields 8 large scones
Ingredients
1 large or two small apples, unpeeled and chopped (Pink Lady, Jazz or Braeburn work best)
1 tbsp. maple syrup
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp. ground Chinese five spice
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 1/3 to 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, plus more for brushing
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Turbinado sugar, for topping
For the glaze (optional)
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2-3 tbsp. apple cider
1/2 tsp. ground Chinese five spice
Directions
Make the roasted apples: Preheat the oven to 375°. Place the chopped apples in a small baking dish and toss with the maple syrup, vanilla and cardamom. Mix to combine and arrange in an even layer. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes, or until fork tender, flipping halfway through. Allow the apples to cool completely before continuing (you can pop them in the fridge to speed this up).
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, Chinese five spice, baking soda and salt.
Pour 1 1/3 cups of the heavy cream into a measuring cup and mix in the vanilla extract. Drizzle this mixture slowly over the dry ingredients while using a wooden spoon to gently mix it together (I actually use my hands so I can get a good feel for the dough). The goal is to have no dry spots left in the dough, so you may need to add more heavy cream. Add in a tablespoon at a time until no more flour bits remain, but try to avoid making the dough too sticky. Carefully fold in the roasted apples.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it a couple of times. Using your hands or a rolling pin, work the dough into a 1-inch thick circle. Using a sharp knife, cut the circle into 8 wedges, transfer them to a large plate(s), and put them in the freezer for 30 minutes
Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Transfer the scones to the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each scone. Brush each scone with heavy cream and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
Bake the scones in the oven for 18-23 minutes, rotating halfway through, until the tops are a light golden brown. Let the scones cool for about 15 minutes before adding the glaze (optional).
For the glaze: Sift the confectioners’ sugar into a small bowl (I always sift mine to ensure a smooth glaze) and add 2 tbsp. of apple cider as well as the five spice. Whisk thoroughly and add more apple cider if it’s too thick. Drizzle over the scones and enjoy!