Apple Cinnamon Scones

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Apple Cinnamon Scones

Apple Cinnamon Scones

The world looks different through a rain splattered window. With heavy clouds hanging low in the sky, the colors appear muted. The bright tones and highlights of a sunny day are subdued as the world takes on various shades of gray. The droplets of water clinging to the glass each hold a tiny world, of homes and life and trees, giving a new perspective on the view outside the window. As the droplets gather speed cascading down the window, they are replaced by newly fallen rain and the cycle continues.

Rainy days gift moments of peace.

Apple Cinnamon Scones

Scones remind me of rainy mornings, overcast skies, and the hesitant light just before the sun rises. When I worked as a baker, the first item I made each morning were scones. The world was quiet, still asleep in bed, as the scents of baking swirled out of the oven. In my mind, scones have become inseparable from those early mornings. When the world is quiet from a sprinkling of rain or heavy clouds prolong the darkness of the morning, I feel drawn to the kitchen, drawn to the flour, butter, and heavy cream.

Scones and tea are simple pleasures on a dreary day.

Apple Cinnamon Scones

With most of the recipes I conjure up in the kitchen, I start with a vision, but as soon as the baking process begins, the vision changes as I reach for ingredients and it morphs into a new one altogether. These scones didn't end up quite as I had planned, but I think it was for the better. Caramelized apples on the stove, the wafting scents of cinnamon and spice, and the feel of dough beneath my fingers accompanied the sound of raindrops against the window.

I wouldn't want to have it any other way.

Apple Cinnamon Scones

Apple Cinnamon Scones are soft and fragrant. The apples are caramelized in a bit of sugar before they are added to the batter, which gives them a bright flavor after baking. A sprinkling of cinnamon and sugar on top of the scones provides just the right touch of sweetness. Though these scones may certainly be enjoyed any day of the year, the warmth of the cinnamon and the scent of apples caramelizing on the stove are traditionally autumn.

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Brown Butter Pear Muffins

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Brown Butter Pear Muffins

Brown Butter Pear Muffins

Pears are easily one of the most delicate fruits. The elegant teardrop shape bruises with the push of a thumb. A ripe pear is elusive; always too firm or over ripe, it can make finding a beautifully ripened pear feel like winning a small lottery. The juice is sweet, the flesh is soft, and the subtle fruit, once dangling from a branch in an orchard, is suddenly capable of stealing a moment.

In the fall, I love to fill my grocery basket with apples and pears. The two fruits contrast nicely against one another—one fruit firm, the other one soft, one sweet, one tart—but it is the pear I look forward to most. Cut into at just the right moment, it can taste like a work of art.

Brown Butter Pear Muffins Brown Butter Pear Muffins

Pears, chocolate, and brown butter is a flavor combination I've visited before. In the early years of this blog, when the photography was embarrassing and my ability to weave a story was just developing, I made a Bittersweet Chocolate Pear Cake for one. I had just moved to a new country on my own, in a city where I didn't speak the language. Settling into my new apartment, I started by emptying my suitcases, assembling the new furniture delivered from IKEA, and purchasing a gallon of gray paint to cover the orange on my bedroom walls.

Before popping open the lid on the paint can, I went to the kitchen and turned on the oven.

Brown Butter Pear Muffins

As I spent the next few days locked up in my room with a paintbrush in hand, I alternated between listening to music and the rhythmic French voices in the apartment below mine. The cake I had made just for myself was eaten in slivers, with a fork to carve out the pieces instead of a knife. Over the course of painting and unpacking, I created a new beginning for myself, starting a new chapter to fill out the pages of my new life.

Though the cake was a simple cake with sincere flavors, the cake intertwined itself into the memories of those early moments of a life on my own. I can only look back on those days fondly, remembering the forkfuls stolen as the sun was rising and my neighbor's voices drifted in through the open windows.

Brown Butter Pear Muffins

Brown Butter Pear Muffins are a healthier take on a memorable cake. The depth of flavor comes from the browned butter, which has a rich nuttiness and complexity. Freshly diced pears are added to the batter along with enough miniature chocolate chips to bring in a subtle chocolate flavor without becoming overwhelming. I left the skins on the pears as a personal preference, but you can easily peel them if you choose. The muffins hold more flavor than they appear, rounding out any breakfast or afternoon snack.

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Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Scones

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Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Scones

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Scones

Sometimes I try to do too much. At times, it can be by choice. It's not unusual for me to stay up late to type out a few paragraphs of a story I want to share with you. On most occasions, however, I do too much out of necessity. It comes with the territory of managing being a full-time student and juggling two part-time jobs. When I'm not buried in a textbook or typing up an essay, I'm neglecting the household chores, allowing the dirty dishes to pile up in the sink and the dust to settle on the end tables. The balance in my life is missing. I'm not sure when the balance began to teeter or when it plans to return, but I do hope it happens soon.

I feel like "trying to do too much" seems to be the motto for many people. We may not always have our sanity, but at least we have solidarity.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Scones

During times of stress, I often forget that it's important to take time to enjoy the small moments. These moments may not feel significant in the grand scheme of things, but in the present they are a soothing presence. The scent of the change of the seasons blowing in the wind. Singing along when my favorite song comes on the car's radio. Leftovers waiting in the refrigerator after an evening of working late.

The beauty harbored in a light morning rain.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Scones

I woke up to dim skies and the sound of rain beating against the sidewalk. It was a quiet morning, somehow made quieter by the steady music outside the window. I could have had a bowl of cereal and settled into a morning of work, but I refrained. Morning rain can be rarity in the Midwest; it felt shameful not to take the time to revel in nature's languid drizzle.

I turned on the oven and made a batch of scones. The scones weren't complicated or elaborate; they were rustic, with rough edges and imprecise cuts. I didn't need them to be perfect. They just needed to be honest.

I savored a scone in the cloudiness of the morning, taking my time to enjoy the softness of each bite, before cracking open a textbook and starting another day. The moment may have been small, but it was exactly what I needed.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Scones

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Scones are simple and unpretentious. The scones come together easily with a little butter, a little cream, and whole wheat flour to add a more robust flavor. The scones are not terribly sweet, but I don't think they need to be. A scattering of chocolate chips brings all the sweetness an early morning needs.

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