Dark Chocolate Chunk Scones

I think scones are one of the forgotten baked goods… At least, in my kitchen they are.  I think it’s because they fall somewhere between breakfast and dessert for me.  I make my share of desserts – cupcakes, cookies, pies. And, when it comes to breakfast, I tend to opt for quick breads, muffins, or cinnamon rolls. And, simple scones rarely come to mind.

It’s certainly not because I like scones any less than the other baked goods, though.  They always tempt me from the bakery case at coffee shops. So, when I needed to take some treats in to the cafe at church, I remembered these Cream Scones from Savory Sweet Life.  Alice posted the recipe almost 3 years ago… I distinctly remembered the recipe, and I had bookmarked it in my RSS reader.  Sadly, though, it has taken me this long to give them a try.  But, they did make an impression. As soon as I knew I wanted to make scones, I went right back to the recipe… I didn’t have to consult any other recipes or cookbooks. I knew Alice’s recipe was the one I wanted.

My instincts were right.  The scones were easy and simple to make, but they turned out beautifully.  As with many pastries, I absolutely agree with Alice’s recommendation to measure the flour by weight for this recipe. The consistency is everything when it comes to scones.  For my cafe treats, I opted to add some dark chocolate chunks for an extra decadent treat.  I also added a drizzle of glaze on top.

I couldn’t have been more pleased with how the scones turned out… And, they were so easy to make! Step aside muffins… I think we’ll be having scones a little more frequently for breakfast!

Dark Chocolate Chunk Scones
Makes 16 small scones
(Adapted from Savory Sweet Life)

For the scones:

• 9 ounces (or approximately 2 cups) all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small chunks
• 4 ounces dark chocolate, roughly chopped
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 – 2 teaspoons heavy cream
• Dash pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 400°F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.  Add the cold butter, and quickly rub the butter into the flour mixture with your fingers until the mixture resembles wet sand with a few small lumps of butter remaining. Add the chopped chocolate and toss to combine.

Meanwhile, whisk together the heavy cream, egg, and vanilla extract.  Gradually add the wet ingredients to the mixing bowl, gently tossing with the flour and butter mixture. Add just enough of the wet ingredients to bring the dough together as you stir gently.  You don’t want the dough to be too sticky.

Once the dough comes together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.  Shape the dough into a large disc, and cut the disc into four equal parts.  Then, shape each quarter of the dough into a disc and cut it into four wedges.  Place the wedges on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for about 15 minutes, until the tops of the scones are slightly golden.  Transfer the scones to a wire rack to cool.

Once the scones have cooled, whisk together the powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla extract. Add just enough heavy cream to make a thick glaze.  Drizzle the glaze over scones.