Snow days in Seattle call for savory scones. I used a hunk of cheddar and some scallions for today’s batch, but feel free to use chives and whatever sort of cheese you have instead.
Ingredients:
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 ½ cups white flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 tablespoons white sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
Several grinds of black pepper (and an optional pinch of cayenne)
2 large or extra large eggs
2/3 cup buttermilk (substitute: 2/3 cup milk plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice, sit until thick)
¼ cup scallions (aka green onions), chopped
¾ cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated (I like to use coastal cheddar or beechers cheddar)
1 egg yolk (for egg wash)
¼ cup parmesan, for sprinkling
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Cut the stick of butter into 1 cm cubes and chill in the freezer until needed.
- Wet ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth. Add the buttermilk and stir until combined.
- Dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and pepper(s).
- Dump dry ingredients onto a clean, cold counter. Remove butter cubes from the freezer and toss them in the flour mixture to coat. Using a rolling pin, flatten the butter cubes into large flakes, scraping surfaces with a pastry cutter or butter knife as needed.
- Sweep the butter/dry ingredient mixture back into the large bowl. Stir in the wet ingredients and use your hands to help form a dough. Lightly work in the scallions and cheddar cheese. DO NOT OVERMIX.
- On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into 2 rounds. Pat each round until it is about 1 inch thick. Cut each round into 8 or 6 wedges, depending on your preferred scone size. Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet.
- Let scones rest for 10 minutes. This will allow the baking powder to begin reacting, yielding fluffier scones.
- While the scones are resting, brush their tops with the egg yolk and sprinkle on a few pinches of parmesan.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until tops are lightly golden.
- Cool and serve!
Burns Bites 