Cherry Chocolate Chip Scones
Tender, moist traditional English scones stuffed with sweet dried cherries and mini semi-sweet chocolate chips. Perfect as a light treat with afternoon tea.
Servings 12 scones
Ingredients
- 1 egg, cold
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (for makeshift buttermilk**)
- scant 3/4 cup milk (for makeshift buttermilk**)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 3/4 cup self-rising flour
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
- 1 cup dried tart cherries, chopped
- 1/3 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup turbinado sugar, for sprinkling
Instructions
PREP INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat your oven to 425F.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Cut the butter into small cubes and keep cold in the fridge.
- **Make the Makeshift Buttermilk: Take a ¾ cup measurement utensil and add 1 tbsp of lemon juice to it. Fill the remainder of the ¾ cup with milk. Keep buttermilk cold in the fridge.
- Chop cherries into small pieces and set aside.
BAKING INSTRUCTIONS
- In a food processor fitted with an S-shaped blade (the standard blade), combine the self-rising flour and the granulated sugar. Pulse a few times to combine the ingredients.
- Add the cold, cubed butter to the food processor and pulse to combine 10-15 times, or until the butter has broken down and the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Take the makeshift buttermilk and whisk it gently with a fork. Crack the egg into the buttermilk, then whisk with a fork until the egg and the buttermilk are combined.
- Pour the liquid mixture into the food processor, pulsing as you go, until a soft dough forms.
- Carefully scrape the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a large circle. Sprinkle the cherries and chocolate chips over the dough, then fold the dough over the cherries and chips until the mix-ins are evenly incorporated throughout the dough.
- Pat the dough down into a ½-inch-thick circle. Use a 2½ inch biscuit cutter/cookie cutter to cut scones from the dough. Place scones on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Repeat process with remaining dough scraps. You should get 12-15 scones.
- Sprinkle the tops of the scones with the turbinado sugar. Chill the scones in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.
- Bake the Cherry Chocolate Chip Scones at 425F for 15-18 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.
- Remove Cherry Chocolate Chip Scones from oven and let cool for 10 minutes, then transfer scones to a cooling rack. Serve warm or reheated.
Notes
**If you have actual buttermilk on hand, you can use ¾ cup "real" buttermilk instead of the lemon juice/milk “makeshift buttermilk” used in this recipe.