Chocolate Bergamot Scones Food

HOW TO MAKE PERFECT SCONES

Steps:

• Whisk flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder together in a large bowl. Grate the frozen butter using a box grater. Add it to the flour mixture and combine with a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingers until the mixture comes together in pea-sized crumbs. See video above for a closer look at the texture. Place in the refrigerator or freezer as you mix the wet ingredients together.
• Whisk 1/2 cup heavy cream, the egg, and vanilla extract together in a small bowl. Drizzle over the flour mixture, add the add-ins, then mix together until everything appears moistened.
• Pour onto the counter and, with floured hands, work dough into a ball as best you can. Dough will be sticky. If it's too sticky, add a little more flour. If it seems too dry, add 1-2 more Tablespoons heavy cream. Press into an 8-inch disc and, with a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut into 8 wedges. For smaller scones, press dough into two 5-inch discs and cut each into 8 wedges. To make 10-12 drop scones: Keep mixing dough in the bowl until it comes together. Drop scones, about 1/4 cup of dough each, 3 inches apart on a lined baking sheet. To make mini (petite) scones, see recipe note.
• Brush scones with remaining heavy cream and for extra crunch, sprinkle with coarse sugar. (You can do this before or after refrigerating in the next step.)
• Place scones on a plate or lined baking sheet (if your fridge has space!) and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
• Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat(s). If making mini or drop scones, use 2 baking sheets. After refrigerating, arrange scones 2-3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet(s).
• Bake for 18-26 minutes or until golden brown around the edges and lightly browned on top. Larger scones take closer to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for a few minutes. Feel free to top with any of the toppings listed in the recipe Note below.
• Leftover scones keep well at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for 5 days.

CHOCOLATE BERGAMOT SCONES

Steps:

• Combine the bergamot zest and sugar in a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachmenand rub with your fingertips (or with the mixer on lountil the sugar is moistened. This helps to draw out the oils and flavor of the bergamot.
• Add the flour, baking powder (sifted, if lumpy), salt and butter to the sugar mixture, and work with a pastry blender or your fingertips (or with the mixer on lountil the butter is mostly blended in with some pea-sized bits remaining. Stir in the chocolate, then slowly add the cream, tossing with a rubber spatula (or mixing on low), adding enough to just make the dough begin to clump together and no floury bits remain. Gently knead and press the dough into a ball (you can do this right in the bowthen turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and press it into a round that is 3/4" thick and about 8" in diameter.
• Use a lightly floured 1 1/2" biscuit cutter to cut out rounds of dough as close together as possible, placing the cut scones on a small baking sheet in preparation for freezing. Gently press together the remaining dough scraps, and cut out more scones. Repeat until all the dough is used up. Freeze the scones until firm, 30-60 minutes.
• Meanwhile, position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 425º.
• Place the frozen scones two inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and stack it atop a second sheet pan to prevent the bottoms from scorching. Brush the tops with cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
• Bake the scones until the tops and bottoms are golden, 15-20 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly. Serve the scones warm or at room temperature. They are best the day they are baked, but will keep for a few days at room temperature in an air-tight container. Re-warm in a toaster oven for best results.

CHOCOLATE PECAN SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Arrange two racks evenly spaced in the oven. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.
• In a small bowl, combine the 3 tablespoons flour with the chocolate and pecans and set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the 4 cups flour, the sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter and, with the mixer on low speed, blend until the butter is the size of peas. Measure the cream in a 2-cup glass measuring cup, add the eggs, and beat until combined. With the mixer still on low, pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and combine just until blended. Add the chocolate and pecan mixture and mix just until combined. The dough will be very sticky.
• Dump the dough out onto a very well-floured surface and knead it a few times to be sure the chocolate and pecans are well distributed, adding a little flour so the dough doesn't stick to the board. Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough 3/4 to 1 inch thick. You should see lumps of butter in the dough. Cut the dough with a 3-inch plain round cutter and place the scones on the prepared sheet pans. Reroll the scraps and cut out more scones. Brush the tops with the egg wash, sprinkle with sugar, and bake for 20 minutes, switching the pans halfway through, until the tops are lightly browned and the insides are fully baked. Serve warm or at room temperature.

CHOCOLATE SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
• Blend the flour, cocoa powder, butter and sugar together briefly in a food processor until they resemble coarse breadcrumbs, then add the milk and blitz to a smooth dough. You can also do this by hand by rubbing the butter into the dry ingredients in a large bowl before adding the milk and mixing with a spoon then hands to form a dough. Tip the dough out onto a clean work surface dusted with flour and sprinkle over the roughly chopped chocolate. Gently knead them into the dough then roll the dough out to around 2.5cm/1in thick.
• Use a 7cm/ 2¾in biscuit cutter to cut out 8 rounds of the dough, re-rolling the dough as needed. Place the rounds on the prepared baking tray, brush the tops with milk and bake for 15 minutes, or until well risen and nicely browned.
• Place the remaining chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of just-boiled water and leave to melt for 3-4 minutes, making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water.
• Arrange the warm scones on a serving plate, drizzle with the melted chocolate and leave for 30-40 minutes. Serve with your choice of marmalade or jam and whipped or clotted cream.