Dyani Ellwood's pumpkin & parmesan scones

Dyani Ellwood's pumpkin & parmesan scones. Photo / Supplied

Makes 16

30g butter
1/4 cup icing sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup cold pumpkin, mashed
2 1/2 cups self-raising flour
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/3 cup milk, plus extra for glazing
2 tbsp parmesan, finely grated
Pinch cracked pepper
Pinch sea salt flakes

1 Preheat oven to 200C. Grease a 22cm square cake pan. Beat butter, sugar and egg until light and fluffy. Stir in pumpkin. Sift in flour and nutmeg and add milk. Use knife to cut milk through flour to make a soft, sticky dough.

2 Turn dough on to floured surface and knead gently until smooth. Press dough out to 2cm thickness. Cut into 5cm rounds. Place rounds in pan. Knead scraps together and repeat. Brush scones with milk. Sprinkle with cheese, pepper and salt. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Serve warm.

* Dean's Tip: Add pumpkin seeds to the dough and on top for texture and flavour.

* Recipe and image extracted from New Zealand's Hottest Home Baker with Dean Brettschneider (Penguin, $35), the companion book to the TV series. Out next month.