Oct 19
2008

Famous Pumpkin Scones–just what the doctor ordered.

in Bread, Breakfast, Fuji Favorites, Oyatsu/Snack, Recipes by Type

For my last pumpkin recipe of Pumpkin Palooza, I had a totally different recipe in mind. Then at the beginning of the week I received a comment from a Melanie, a fellow blogger and friend (that I actually had the pleasure of meeting last May!), asking if I had ever tried pumpkin scones. She explained that she love them and that there is a famous recipe in Australia for them. I was intrigued.

The recipe is Lady Florence Bjelke-Petersen’s, who I learned is a bit of an Australian icon and has an amazing reputation for her cooking skills. She was a member of the Australian Senate for 19 years, and is the widow of the longest-serving Premier of Queensland. From what I read, she was well liked, maybe due to the fact that her speeches usually addressed local issues instead of being political in content. Another theory (one that I’m more apt to believe) is that her popularity is due to her serving everyone her fabulous pumpkin scones. I personally find it hard to dislike anyone who feeds me yummy treats, and these scones definitely qualify as yummy. In fact, Lady Bjelke-Petersen is quoted saying, “I hope they remember me first for being a senator, who just happened to make pumpkin scones.”
These scones are the perfect ending for Pumpkin Palooza. I’m tired after a long week, and with my belly growing bigger by the millisecond, I needed to put up my feet and relax. (It’s a girl by the way, had I told you that yet?)
So I quickly whipped some of these babies up, threw them in the oven, and brewed myself a cup of soothing chamomile tea while I waited for them to bake.
These scones are fluffy, light, and wonderfully moist. I ate mine with a some black strawberry jam that my friend Bekah gifted me with and a bit of clotted cream.
Heaven. Melanie, I just wish you were here to enjoy them with me!


Lady Florence Bjelke-Petersen’s Famous Pumpkin Scones
Adapted from original recipe here

1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup pumpkin puree (cold)
2 cups self-rising flour*

1. Preheat oven to 440 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Beat together butter, sugar, and salt with electric mixer.

3. Add egg and then pumpkin. Stir in the flour.

4. Turn on to floured board and cut. (I put my dough onto a Silpat baking mat on a baking sheet, shaped it into a round and cut into 12 wedges.)

5. Place on top shelf of oven for 15-20 minutes.

*If you don’t have self-rising flour, don’t worry! Just sift together 2 cups of flour with 1 tsp. baking soda, 1 tsp. baking powder, and 1/2 tsp. salt.


And with that, Pumpkin Palooza is over! I could have gone for another couple of weeks and not have run out of wonderful pumpkin recipes to try, but there may have been a mutiny in the Fuji household. I’m sure that you haven’t seen the last of the pumpkin around here, but I’ll give Mr. Fuji a chance to eat something else before I spring another one on him. It has been fun to see some of you trying this week’s recipes. One of my readers even modified my pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe to be vegan! What was your favorite recipe?

1. Pumpkin Pecan (Choco) Bread
2. Pumpkin Dumplings
3. Pumpkin Curry
4. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
5. Pumpkin Mac ‘n Cheese
6. Pumpkin Hummus
7. Famous Pumpkin Scones

{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }

LollyChops October 19, 2008 at 4:03 pm

Fuji.. I just wanted to let you how much I have enjoyed your pumpkin palooza this week! I have all of the ingredients to make these scones.. so we may be having pumpkin scones for dessert this evening!

Hope you have a terrific week!

Reply

Heather October 19, 2008 at 6:31 pm

how beautiful! i love anything with pumpkin in it :)

Reply

Shari@Whisk: a food blog October 19, 2008 at 6:34 pm

I have some pumpkin puree hanging around. Now I know what to do with it! Looks delicious!

Reply

Melanie Gray Augustin October 19, 2008 at 9:51 pm

I’ve just been catching up on your blog. I’m so glad you tried the scones and that you liked them. They are one of my faves.

Love your new banner too by the way!

Reply

Veronica October 20, 2008 at 5:45 am

Beautiful banner.

Those looks delicious. I may have to make them one day.

I’m just about pumpkined out, but I have 3 baggies full of pumpkin puree in the freezer.

Reply

Michelle October 20, 2008 at 6:21 am

Hmm. As someone who grew up in Queensland during the Bjelke-Petersen years, I would say that Joh was a hugely unpopular premier who hated the unions and had an almost military-like hold over the state. You couldn’t do ANYTHING. You couldn’t even gather on a street corner in a group of more than 5 without being arrested. Flo was humoured rather than loved. Kind of like a nutty old aunty who had lived in her own world too long. I remember she came to present awards at my school’s speech night, and everyone had to bring a plate to share. 50% of the mothers made pumpkin scones!

I’m so glad you made the scones. They were always one of my favourite things growing up. Cream and jam are essential.

Reply

Fuji Mama October 20, 2008 at 8:08 am

Michelle–Thanks for the info. How interesting! Yes, I did get the impression that her husband was vastly unpopular and a tyrant. So, nutty Aunt Flo, eh? Well she did make FABULOUS pumpkin scones! :-)

Reply

Bob October 20, 2008 at 9:39 am

Clotted cream rules. It has a very unfortunate name though, I’m still trying to convince my girlfriend to try it. :D Those look wicked good, definitely my next scone baking.

Reply

Fuji Mama October 20, 2008 at 9:43 am

Bob–I totally agree on clotted cream. Heavenly stuff isn’t it? It’s good that it’s so expensive here, otherwise I would be VERY VERY fat.

Reply

Trisha October 20, 2008 at 9:12 pm

Clotted cream and scones — how very yum! I’m so loving pumpkin right now. Time to get baking…

Reply

Prudy October 21, 2008 at 7:10 am

Pumpkin palooza? I love it. I’ve got to backtrack and see your other posts. These scones, with only 1 T of butter, sound fabulous!

Reply

Sandra Evertson October 21, 2008 at 11:31 am

That looks Sooo Yummmy!
Sandra

Reply

Heatherly October 21, 2008 at 3:07 pm

oh YUMMY!
you always have the best recipes!

Reply

Jen October 21, 2008 at 9:43 pm

This has been really fun to read. I think my favorite is the pumpkin curry. Yes, I agree. We MUST live closer!!!Congrats on another girl!!! Maybe this one will be named chipmunk. :)
♥Jen

Reply

Jen October 21, 2008 at 9:45 pm

PS I ♥ your new banner too!!! So you!
♥Jen (again)

Reply

Jennifer A. Wickes October 24, 2008 at 8:59 am

I love pumpkins and I adore scones! Thanks!

Reply

Michelle November 3, 2008 at 8:12 pm

He he! And there are tea towels you can buy in Queensland which have Lady Flo’s scone recipe on them! I’ll have to see if I can find one next time I’m back home. Ah, the memories!

Reply

Fuji November 4, 2008 at 5:46 pm

michelle– Are you serious?!? I’m going to have to see if I can find one on ebay or something. That’s something that EVERY foodie should have!

Reply

Sagari November 6, 2008 at 2:14 pm

pumpkin scones look very beautifulllll

Reply

Michelle November 7, 2008 at 5:47 pm

Leave it to me – I’ll get mum to find once for both of us, and I’ll send one to you.

Reply

Cake Artisan April 3, 2009 at 9:39 pm

Fond memories of my aunt’s pumpkin scones… I recently made them for my American husband who actually liked them despite NOT liking pumpkin. What’s not to like!

Reply

tim January 31, 2011 at 5:49 pm

I glad I found this recipe. Now my kids have something healthier to eat. Good thing they liked it. Much like : amada repair. Thanks.

Reply

Lou November 3, 2022 at 3:50 pm

These turned out absolutely amazing! They taste lovely and are nice and sweet, some scones are so bland if you’re not eating with jam. I followed the recipe as written and converted to metric. I measured 125g per cup of flour so 250g in total. The mixture was very wet so i did have to add loads more flour, approx another cup or more just to be able shape the dough (maybe this may be to do with differences in the pumpkin puree). Nevertheless they rose beautifully and have a lovely moist yet fluffy texture, this will be a go to recipe for this time of year. Thank you!

Reply

Leave a Comment

Previous post:

Next post: