Description
Savory cheddar cheese scones blend sharp cheddar with buttery, flaky pastry for a delightful breakfast or brunch treat. Crisp edges and tender centers make these scones irresistible when you want a quick, satisfying nibble.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tbsp (7.5 ml) baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup (113 g/4 oz) cold unsalted butter
- 2 tbsps (30 ml/1 fl oz) melted salted butter
- ⅔ cup (160 ml/5.4 fl oz) cold heavy cream
- 1 tbsp (15 ml/0.5 fl oz) chopped fresh chives or parsley
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Preparation: Ignite the oven to 400°F, establishing the perfect thermal environment for crafting golden, flaky scones.
- Dry Blend: Whisk flour, salt, baking powder, and black pepper in a spacious mixing bowl, ensuring uniform distribution of dry components.
- Butter Integration: Utilize a pastry cutter or chilled fingertips to merge cold butter into the flour mixture, creating a crumbly, textured landscape.
- Cheese Infusion: Delicately fold shredded cheddar cheese throughout the flour-butter mixture, guaranteeing a consistent flavor profile.
- Liquid Fusion: Whisk eggs and heavy cream in a separate vessel until smoothly combined and slightly aerated.
- Dough Formation: Gently introduce the cream-egg mixture into the flour components, minimizing stirring to preserve the dough’s tender essence.
- Shaping Technique: Transfer the loose dough onto a flour-dusted surface, executing gentle folding and pressing motions to construct a unified mass.
- Scone Crafting: Mold the dough into a pristine 8-inch circular disc, then meticulously segment into 8 triangular wedges using a razor-sharp knife.
- Baking Preparation: Position scone wedges on an ungreased baking sheet, allowing strategic spacing for optimal expansion during the baking process.
- Golden Transformation: Delicately apply milk wash to each scone’s surface, cultivating a rich, burnished exterior while gently brushing the peaks.
- Oven Mastery: Bake for 18-22 minutes, vigilantly monitoring until the scones achieve a luminous golden hue and emit a hollow resonance when tapped.
- Finishing Touch: Extract scones from the baking sheet and transfer to a cooling rack, then craft a sublime chive butter by blending softened butter with finely chopped chives.
- Serving Finale: While scones radiate warmth, lavishly brush with aromatic chive butter and present immediately for a sensory delight.
Notes
- Chill Ingredients Thoroughly: Keep butter and cream extremely cold to ensure maximum flakiness and create those signature layered, tender scone textures.
- Handle Dough Minimally: Mix ingredients just until combined, preventing gluten development and maintaining a delicate, soft crumb structure.
- Check Oven Temperature Accuracy: Use an oven thermometer to confirm precise 400°F temperature, avoiding uneven baking or burnt edges.
- Store and Reheat Smartly: Allow scones to cool completely before storing in an airtight container, and warm gently in oven at 300°F for 5-7 minutes to restore freshness.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg