Chocolate Berry Scones

There are precious few flavor combinations so decadent as the dark richness of chocolate crossed with the sprightly summer gush of fresh berries. The last time I experienced these flavors together in all their glory was with some chocolate-hazelnut muffins, warmed and spread with all-fruit raspberry jam. Simple but amazing for breakfast, desert, or no reason at all. Lately, though, I seem to keep running into scone recipes, so I decided to reincarnate that holy chocolate-berry sensation into a sugar-crusted scone.





Since we started doing cranberry-orange scones at the bakery upon the request of one of our wholesale accounts, its occurred to me that maybe people don't know what a real scone is; that you're probably more familiar with the cake-y starbucks version. So let me re-define the scone for those of you who may be wondering what exactly it is.

Scone n. 1. A small, rich, biscuit-like pastry or quick bread, sometimes baked on a griddle.

In short, a scone is basically a sweet biscuit. Some people dislike the almost dry crumbliness that characterizes a good scone, so I can understand why everyone's favorite coffee chain would make a puffy, frosted version of it. But nothing goes better with a good cup of hot tea than something a smidge less sweet, with a bit more texture and a pinch more class. Sometimes the mood of afternoon just calls for a little tea time.

Edit: At least that's what a good scone is supposed to be like...after trying these guys, it seems I've made a scone to make starbucks proud...soft and cakey, like a flat muffin. Not the texture I was shooting for :( I'm thinking maybe it could be made more dry by adding the buttermilk only a little at a time until the dough will just stick together, or perhaps by adding a little more flour. Of course, the taste is just fine made according to the recipe...

Chocolate Berry Scones

makes 8 small scones

2/3 c. buttermilk
2 eggs (one for the mix, the other for eggwashing the top)
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. dutch processed cocoa powder
1/2 c. white sugar
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 c. cold, diced butter
2/3 c. mixed frozen berries
1/3 c. semisweet chocolate chips
coarse sugar, to top

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix buttermilk, 1 egg, and vanilla together in a small bowl. In another bowl, mix together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder and salt.

With a pastry blender, or 2 knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.

Add fruit and chocolate chips to flour mixture, stir to coat and evenly distribute them throughout the batter. Add the liquid and stir until it just comes together--do not over-mix it or the scones will be tough. (I had to turn it out onto the counter and knead the last bit of flour into the dough.)





Knead or fold the dough just a few times, and pat into a circle. Mine was pretty sticky, so to make it easier to cut I put it on a circle of greased wax paper in a 8" round cake pan and set it in the freezer for a little while--not until frozen, but just until it was cold and stiff enough to cut it without making a sticky mess. When you do cut it, you can use a knife or bench scraper to cut he disc of dough into eighths and place the slices on an un-greased cookie sheet. (I buttered mine and they spread out a lot, so I would suggest not buttering the pan.)





Brush the top of each scone with eggwash and then sprinkle with coarse sugar, if desired. Bake at 375 for about 15 minutes, until a pick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow the scones to cool on the pan for 5 minutes or so before removing them to a rack to cool the rest of the way.

Serve with a nice milky Chai or Earl Grey tea.