Pineapple Stones (Scones)

Well, here I am again.  My oldest DD says "Mommy, I (meaning me) would really like to make some pineapple chocolate chip stones.  I want dehydrated pineapple pieces, crunched pineapple, and chocolate chips with a pineapple glaze on top."  "Ok",  I say and go looking for a recipe.  Several looked interesting, but this one had the "crunched" pineapple as a layer and not just mixed in.  I had to go shopping for a couple things and I was set to go.

3 3/4 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cold butter
2 tablespoons candied (crystallized) ginger, finely minced
1 cup dried pineapple, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
3/4 cup  buttermilk OR 1/3 cup dried buttermilk powder (blended with the dry ingredients) + 3/4 cup water
2 large eggs, 1 separated (use 1 egg + yolk for the scones, save 1 white for the glaze)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup fresh pineapple, well drained and chopped OR 1 cup canned crushed pineapple, well-drained
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1 egg white(from above)
1/4 cup sugar

 

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt until evenly blended. Cut the butter into cubes, and then cut the butter into the dry ingredients, using your fingers, a pastry fork or blender, or a mixer, until everything is coarsely blended. Toss in the minced candied ginger and dried pineapple and chocolate chips and mix until evenly distributed.

 

 

 

In a small bowl, or a large measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk (or water), egg and yolk, and vanilla. Pour the egg mixture over the dry ingredients and toss with a fork until everything is moistened. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface, and fold it over several times. It'll seem stiff and dry, with bits of flour remaining unincorporated.

Pat the dough into a rough rectangle, then cut off about one-third of the rectangle, crosswise. Pat the larger piece of dough into an 8 x 10-inch rectangle about 1/2- to 3/4-inch thick. Spread the drained, chopped pineapple over the dough.
Pat the remaining third of dough into an 8 x 10-inch rectangle. Place it over the pineapple, and press down lightly. Cut the dough into 15 squares or rounds or tiny triangles like I did.  Place them on the prepared baking sheet.

Preheat your oven to 450°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper.

Whisk the egg white until foamy. Add the sugar and whisk until thick and opaque, like soft meringue.  Spoon a thick layer of glaze over the stones.



 

 

Bake the stones for 10 minutes or if making 'em tiny 5 to 7 minutes. Note: if you have trouble with your oven baking too quickly, or with baked goods burning on the bottom, set the baking sheet into another baking sheet; this is called "double-panning," and should reduce the likelihood you'll burn the stones.

Remove them from the oven and let them rest on the pan for 5 minutes (to firm up) before serving.   I also made square ones (not pictured here) that I made another glaze of powdered sugar and pineapple juice and put one them as soon as they came out of the oven.  There is a picture of one on the plate in the intro picture though.

The pineapple stays very hot, so resist the temptation to pop it into your mouth as soon as they come out of the oven; you'll be sorry!

Yield: 15 stones or to many to count mini stones.

This recipe reprinted from The Baking Sheet Newsletter, Vol. XII, No. 3, Early Spring 2001 issue.
I altered the recipe to fit my needs, but here it is in its entirety:

Pineapple Scones

Dough

3 3/4 cups (16 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour or 4 cups (17 ounces) Mellow Pastry Blend
2/3 cup (4 3/4 ounces) sugar
1 tablespoon (1/4 ounce) baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (6 ounces) cold butter
2 tablespoons (1/2 ounce) candied (crystallized) ginger, finely minced*
1 cup (4 1/2 ounces) dried pineapple, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
3/4 cup (6 ounces) buttermilk OR 1/3 cup dried buttermilk powder (blended with the dry ingredients) + 3/4 cup water
2 large eggs, 1 separated (use 1 egg + yolk for the scones, save 1 white for the glaze)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup (5 1/2 ounces) fresh pineapple, well drained and chopped OR 1 cup canned crushed pineapple, well-drained
15 pieces fresh pineapple, sliced 1/2-inch thick and cut into 1- to 1 1/4-inch wedges**

*Our mini diced ginger is perfect here.

**We took a fresh pineapple, peeled it, cored it, and divided it vertically into 8 long pieces. We then sliced 1/2-inch thick wedges from those pieces. Alternatively, if you don't have access to a fresh pineapple, purchase some canned pineapple rings, drain them well, and cut each ring into quarters.

Dough:

 In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt until evenly blended. Cut the butter into cubes, and then cut the butter into the dry ingredients, using your fingers, a pastry fork or blender, or a mixer, until everything is coarsely blended. Toss in the minced candied ginger and dried pineapple, and mix until evenly distributed.

In a small bowl, or a large measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk (or water), egg and yolk, and vanilla. Pour the egg mixture over the dry ingredients and toss with a fork until everything is moistened. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface, and fold it over several times. It'll seem stiff and dry, with bits of flour remaining unincorporated.

Pat the dough into a rough rectangle, then cut off about one-third of the rectangle, crosswise. Pat the larger piece of dough into an 8 x 10-inch rectangle about 1/2- to 3/4-inch thick. Spread the drained, chopped pineapple over the dough.

Pat the remaining third of dough into an 8 x 10-inch rectangle. Place it over the pineapple, and press down lightly. Cut the dough into 15 squares or rounds. Place them on the prepared baking sheet.

Glaze

1 egg white
1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) sugar
1/4 cup (2 ounces) unsweetened shredded coconut (optional)

Preheat your oven to 450°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper.
 

Glaze:

Whisk the egg white until foamy. Add the sugar and whisk until thick and opaque, like soft meringue. Add the coconut, if you're using it. Spoon a thick layer of glaze over the scones. Place a wedge of fresh pineapple on top of each scone, and spoon additional glaze over the pineapple.

Bake the scones for 10 minutes. Note: if you have trouble with your oven baking too quickly, or with baked goods burning on the bottom, set the baking sheet into another baking sheet; this is called "double-panning," and should reduce the likelihood you'll burn the scones. Without opening the door, turn the oven off and let the scones continue to bake in the turned-off oven for an additional 8 to 10 minutes, until they're lightly browned.

Remove them from the oven and let them rest on the pan for 5 minutes (to firm up) before serving. The pineapple stays very hot, so resist the temptation to pick a piece off the top and pop it into your mouth as soon as the scones come out of the oven; you'll be sorry!

 Yield: 15 scones.

 Nutrition information per serving (1 scone, 101g): 309 cal, 13g fat, 5g protein, 32g complex carbohydrates, 13g sugar, 3g dietary fiber, 54mg cholesterol, 286mg sodium, 216mg potassium, 124RE vitamin A, 3mg vita- min C, 2mg iron, 80mg calcium, 95mg phosphorus.

This recipe reprinted from The Baking Sheet Newsletter, Vol. XII, No. 3, Early Spring 2001 issue.