Rania's Recipes: Pumpkin Waffles & Dried Cherry Sour Cream Scones

If you're looking for a delicious breakfast recipe for Christmas morning, be sure to look at these two from Rania Harris!

Pumpkin Waffles

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 2 cups milk
• 4 eggs, separated
• ¼ cup butter, melted

Directions:

Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, salt, and

brown sugar in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together the pumpkin,

milk, and egg yolks. Whip the egg whites in a clean dry bowl until soft

peaks form.

Stir the flour mixture and 1/4 cup melted butter to the pumpkin mixture,

stirring just to combine. Use a whisk or rubber spatula to fold 1/3 of the

egg whites into the batter, stirring gently until incorporated. Fold in the

remaining egg whites. Cook waffles according to manufacturer's instructions.

Apple Cider Syrup

• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup apple cider
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons butter

Stir together the sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon in a saucepan. Stir in the

apple cider and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat until mixture begins to

boil; boil until the syrup thickens. Remove from heat and stir in the 2

tablespoons of butter until melted. Serve warm.

(Makes about 6 Waffles)

Dried Cherry Sour Cream Scones

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar (packed)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter - cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup dried cherries
• 1 large egg - beaten to blend for glaze
• Additional brown sugar - for glazing

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In the bowl of a food processor fit with a steel blade, process the first 5 ingredients just to blend. Add in the unsalted butter and process until a coarse meal forms. Add in the sour cream and vanilla and process until a dough forms. Remove the mixture from the bowl and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in the dried cherries until they are well incorporated - about 10 turns. Cut the dough in half and shape each half into a ball. Press down into a round and gently roll each round into a circle about one half inch in thickness. Cut each circle into eight wedges.

Transfer the wedges onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush them with the beaten egg and sprinkle a little of the brown sugar on each scone. Bake about 12 minutes or until golden. Serve warm with jam and butter.

Makes: 16 scones