Pecan Scones with Bourbon Caramel Sauce

Makes 12

Ingredients:

2 C all-purpose flour
1 heaping T baking powder
1 cube/8 T unsalted butter
½ C sugar
1 ½ C heavy cream
2 t vanilla
½ t kosher salt
1 C pecans, rough chopped
Top with Bourbon Caramel Sauce*

Direction:

• Chill butter well, cut into ½ inch chunks and put in freezer. In another bowl, toss the chopped pecans with about 2 T flour.
• In a large glass bowl add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using your hands, massage the butter into the flour mixture until the size of large lima beans. Add 1 C of the cream and the vanilla and the pecans. With a large wooden spoon, begin to blend using large sweeping motions. Add the other ½ C to bring it all together. Dough should be moist but hold together as a dough. Empty out onto a floured surface, form into a disc with your hands, and then using a rolling pin flatten into a 9-10” circle. Cut into 12 portions. Place on a buttered baking sheet and cook at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove and let sit for at least 5 minutes. Cover with sauce.
• *Caramel Sauce Inspired by The Pioneer Woman:
• 1 C Brown Sugar, 1/2 stick butter (4 T), 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1 T vanilla, ¼ t salt, 2 T good bourbon. In a saucepan add all the ingredients except the bourbon. Bring to a slow boil, lower heat just to keep it bubbling. Cook, stirring almost constantly for about 3-4 minutes until it thickens. Take off the heat and let it sit for about a minute and then add the bourbon. Stir in well, return to heat, let bubble for about another minute. Remove and cool. Or serve warm.