Peanut Butter Cinnamon Swirl Scones

Steps

1. Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment.
2. Coarsely chop the dry-roasted peanuts. Set aside one quarter of the chopped dry-roasted peanuts for the topping; the remaining three quarters go into the dough.
3. Make the swirl: in a small bowl, mix one quarter of the brown sugar with two thirds of the cinnamon.
4. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, the remaining three quarters of the brown sugar, the baking powder, the salt and the remaining third of the cinnamon.
5. Cut the cold butter into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter or your fingertips until it looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-size pieces.
6. Drop small spoonfuls of the chilled peanut butter over the flour mixture and toss lightly so it stays in streaks, then stir in the dough portion (three quarters) of the chopped dry-roasted peanuts.
7. In a measuring cup, whisk the buttermilk, the egg and the vanilla, then pour into the flour mixture and stir with a fork just until a shaggy dough forms.
8. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter and pat into a rectangle about 8 by 12 inches. Sprinkle the cinnamon swirl mixture evenly over it, fold the dough in thirds like a letter, and pat it into a 6 by 8 inch rectangle about 1 inch thick.
9. Cut the dough into 6 squares, then cut each square diagonally to make 12 triangles. Set them 2 inches apart on the baking sheet and chill for 15 minutes.
10. Brush the tops with the heavy cream, then sprinkle with the reserved quarter of the chopped dry-roasted peanuts and the granulated sugar, pressing lightly so they stick.
11. Bake for 16 to 20 minutes, until the scones are golden brown and a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
12. Cool on a rack for at least 10 minutes before serving.