So call me crazy, but I am not usually the biggest chocolate chip fan around. However, a friend conveyed a story to me one afternoon that made me sit up and take attention. It seems that in her quest to find a chocolate chip scone, local bakeries and shops were passing off currant scones to her in disguise. I mean, you might as well break out the carob and call it a day, because “currant” and “chocolate chip” are not exactly cousins.
At any rate, I made it my mission to make her a delicious chocolate chip scone . . . something with crisp edges and a soft interior–but not dense like cake–just, well, perfect, really.
After becoming slightly obsessed with the task at hand, I can happily pass along a scone recipe that I’m quite sure will make your eyes widen a bit upon first bite (especially if you normally aren’t the biggest chocolate chip fan — surely there must be another one of you out there?).
Chocolate Chip Scones
adapted from Bon Appétit
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled, unsalted butter, diced
1 teaspoon (packed) lemon zest
3/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup chilled buttermilk
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Milk (for glaze)
Butter and flour baking sheet. Sift 2 cups flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt into large bowl. Add butter and lemon zest; rub in with fingertips until butter is reduced to size of rice grains. Gently mix in chocolate chips.
Whisk buttermilk, egg yolk and vanilla in small bowl to blend.
Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients; mix until dough comes together in moist clumps (careful not to over mix!). Gather dough in a ball.
Press dough out onto lightly floured surface to 8-inch round; cut round into 6 wedges. Transfer wedges to prepared baking sheet, spacing 1 inch apart. (Can be prepared one day ahead, so you could cover and refrigerate at this point if needed).
Preheat oven to 400°. Brush scones lightly with milk; sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake until scones are crusty on top and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Serve warm, and enjoy!
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You are inspiring me to get back into baking more. These look so good that I really need to make these.