I wandered...then I baked~Cheesy Chive Scones

My dear friend Nicole, aka gardenmama,  put forth a challenge today--Wandering Wednesday.  So I put on my shoes, my rose shoes, and took off for my garden, where I noticed, looking out my window in my studio yesterday, the most glorious hydrangeas...Kelly's favorite.

I couldn't help but cut some stems, along with some buddleja (butterfly bush) to bring a bouquet in with me to enjoy for the day while I baked.

However, before I finally came in, my pot of chives called to me and inspired today's baking.  I immediately came back to one of my favorites, scones.

Scones, to me, are a fancy biscuit and allows you to play around with the flavor, either savory or sweet.  Most of the time, I'll choose sweet, but today the beautiful bright green of the chives immediately made me think savory.  Scones, (make sure you pronounce them correctly-- it rhymes with con or John) are Scottish origin, but with the introduction of leavening, the baked version is known world wide.  Summertime, with all its bounty, should give you lots of ideas...so go wandering and bring along some scones for nourishment.

Cheesy Chive Scones

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. salt
6 T unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups half & half
1 large egg
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese, plus more for topping
2-3 T chopped chives
1/8 - 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (you decide the "kick")

Preheat oven 400F-degrees (375F-degrees/convection).  
I like to use the food processor to combine all the dry ingredients,including the cayenne and chives, and "cut- in" the butter.  However, you can certainly do it the old-fashioned way; pastry blender or two knives.

Transfer mixture to a large bowl and make a well.  Whisk the egg into the half & half.  Pour all, but 2 tablespoons into the "well".  Use a dough whisk to mix the dry and wet ingredients.  Add the cheese and combine.

Dump dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead lightly.  Roll out to an 8 1/2"-9" round by 3/4" thick.  

 Use a knife or dough scraper and divide in half, then, quarters, and finally eighths.

Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Use a skewer to "poke" some holes in the scones.

 Brush the tops with the reserved two tablespoons of egg/milk.

 I topped my scones with some additional cheese...because I think you can't have too much cheese!

 Bake scones for 18-20 minutes, (In my convection oven, it took 20 minutes) until golden brown.  Serve warm with lots of butter.  

Go wandering~Thank you Nicole~ and enjoy the beauty around you. Enjoy!