Pear and Apple Cider Scones

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Pear and Apple Cider Scones have the aroma of apple cider with tender bites of pear throughout.  The aroma is out of this world and will make you put on a sweater and grab a blanket.

This recipe and the giveaway included in this post is sponsored by Taylor & Colledge and Republic of Tea. All opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that make A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures possible.

 

I just want to start with saying yes, these are scones. No, they are not biscuits. I get that a lot because everyone expects scones to be triangular in shape. And American scones are typically triangular in shape. These are scones are more along the lines of the British version.

 

What is the difference between a British and American scone?

 

I know I’ve touched on this before in some of my other scone posts, but to save you some time I’ll just spell it out right here. First there’s the shape. American scones are usually a wedge shape and British ones are circles. American scones have more butter and sugar making them more dense and rich. There’s a glaze on top and typically enjoyed all by itself or with some coffee or tea.

 

 

British scones are lighter and have more crumbs. They’re meant to have toppings like curd, clotted cream, and jams or preserves. Yes, they look like biscuits, but they’re sweeter and taller than biscuits. And they’re lighter and fluffier than American scones.

 

However, British scones don’t typically have mix ins. Yes, I know. I have done this quite a few times in making scones, but that’s because I don’t make something separate to put on top of the scone.

 

 

So, what’s a biscuit?

 

Biscuits may look like British scones, but they’re not. They have a higher fat to flour ratio. They also have acidity usually from buttermilk which makes them light and fluffy. Biscuits are flaky and hold their shape when dipped in gravy or used to clean your breakfast plate. Scones can be flaky and have layers like biscuits, but they do not hole when dragged across a plate.

 

I see you reading my recipe. “But you have yogurt in there!” I know. And I combine the yogurt with the milk to have the consistency of heavy cream without all that fat and calories. I always try to watch my fat intake since I do not follow a low carb diet. Maybe one day I’ll get into explaining that statement later. This is regular, nonfat yogurt so it’s not as acidic as using a buttermilk or a Greek yogurt.

 

 

Why use both baking soda and baking powder?

 

The added baking soda is to counter the acidity in the yogurt. Those that are bakers are nodding your head. Some look perplexed. Baking powder is the typical leavening of choice when baking. Yes, you can use just baking soda, but you will need an acid to neutralize it when baking.

 

Why use both? Well, to get a little extra lift. But you should only use both if you have a little extra acid in your recipe, say from some yogurt. This will help neutralize the baking soda and not give your baked goods a metallic taste.

 

 

For this recipe, I wanted to have that delicious apple cider flavor without the apple cider. Because I usually can’t find a small bottle and, well, a large bottle just doesn’t work in our house. I don’t drink enough of it to warrant buying a large bottle. It would go sour before I would drink it all. It’s just a little too sweet for me.

 

What is apple cider?

 

There’s two forms of thought with this. Apple cider that most know is a method of pressing apples (in their entirety) to extract the juice. Apple cider is not usually filtered or pasteurized to extend it’s shelf life. The juice on the other hand, goes through a filtration process to remove those tiny apple particles to make it clear. And it’s processed to maintain shelf life.

 

 

The cider term leads to some confusion. In some parts of the world cider is the fermented version of apple juice. In the United States we call that hard cider. I am such a huge fan of hard cider! It’s my go to fave at bars. But that’s another story.

 

Then there’s mulled or spiced apple cider. That is simply unprocessed apple juice that is steeped with aromatic spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and star anise. These typically show up at tailgate and fall or holiday parties. The aroma of this simmering mixture is delightful and really makes me grab a blanket and a sweatshirt.

 

 

What to pear and apple cider scones taste like?

 

I put these in a zip top bag and took them to work. I didn’t advertise that I had them. Most that know me and walk by my little office just know to look for baked goods. Upon opening the bag I hear, “Oh my! These smell so good!” I had two people tell me they completely devoured them and had to resist the urge to get another. Or not resist, as someone told me.

 

They’re light and full of apple cider flavor with flecks of pear throughout. I added the pear because, well, I had one left from the flatbread recipe, and it sounded like a good idea. And it is a good idea! The pear is slightly sweet and adds a fun little bite every now and then.

 

Pear and apple cider scones are slightly sweet and airy. They are perfect topped with some butter, apple butter, or even pear butter. These last two are easy to make. Maybe I’ll do those next year. Or they’re perfect eaten with a little apple cider tea. A bi-fecta of tea flavor!

More #FallFlavors Recipes Below:

Beverages

• Apple Cider Milk Tea With Boba And Caramel Apple from Magical Ingredients
• Apple Cider Old Fashioned from Books n’ Cooks

Breakfast and Baked Goods

• Pear and Apple Cider Scones from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Apple Cider Donut Muffins from Cheese Curd In Paradise
• Spiced Pumpkin Coffee Cake from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks

Side Dishes

• Cinnamon Sweet Potato Pumpkin Muffins from Blogghetti
• Glazed Cippolini Onions With Rosemary from Life Love and Good Food
• Sweet Potato Latkes from Take Two Tapas

Main Dishes

• Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce from Jen around the world

Desserts

• Apple Blondies from Eat Move Make
• Apple Turnover from Art of Natural Living
• No- Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake With Salted Caramel Glaze from West Via Midwest
• Oatmeal Scotchies from Palatable Pastime
• Pear Bundt Cake from The Fresh Cooky
• Pecan Butter Cookies from An Affair from the Heart
• Pear Cobbler from Fresh April Flours
• Pear Crisp Ice Cream from Jolene’s Recipe Journal
• Pecan Pie Bars from Devour Dinner
• Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies from SueBee Homemaker
• Rosemary Pecan Shortbread With Honey-Ginger Icing from The Spiffy Cookie
• Sweet Tea Panna Cotta from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Turtle Waffle Ice Cream Sandwiches from That Recipe