Wednesday, July 21, 2010

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!  

10 comments:

  1. These look fabulous. Love your wandering post! We participated today too, it was very inspiring. Look forward to making these.

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  2. Wasn't wandering fun! We really should do more days, don't you think.

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  3. These look wonderful! We love scones. Quick questions. We made you carmel and sunflower cookies. There were delicious but very flat. This happen to some of our cookie recipes, any suggestions for getting a plumper cookie? Thanks.

    Blessings, Elizabeth

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  4. Elizabeth~Two things come to mind. First, are you at a high elevation? If not, you can always chill the dough to set the butter or replace half the butter for a "butter-flavored" shortening and eliminate the Lyle's Golden Syrup.

    One more thing, but it will change the texture; replace one cup of flour with 1 1/2 cups of oatmeal.

    These tricks should give you a plumper cookie. Love, Susan

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  5. The "Wandering" post was great! I didn't take pictures but I wandered around my yard---first taking our chickens some canteloupe and watermelon pieces and then around the flower beds. I happened to see my garlic chives and I'm not sure why, I thought about the Spinach-Leek Pie. I had bought leeks at the market and had plenty of fresh eggs and I was thinking "dinner". The pie was absolutly delicious and I'll have to make the scones another time!

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  6. Dear sweet Susan, I loved reading every bit of your wanderings today! Your rose shoes and blue hydrangeas made me smile and I felt as if I were right there along with you gathering such a beautiful bouquet! So how did you know that chives and scones are my favorite?? What a fabulous recipe and even sweeter to see your journey to making them with fresh chives and all! I love you and am so happy you took part in this fun photo challenge! xoxo Nicole

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  7. Dearest Nicole~I'm so happy you challenged me! xoxo Susan

    Sis~Scones or Egg Pie...you can't lose! xoxo

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  8. these look wonderful and pefect for a garden picnic I am planning, thanks my love xx

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  9. Oh thanks for the wednesday wander! What a nice share and I will try that recipe. I think I want to make them sweet though by adding vanilla bean. What do you think?
    Happy Baking,
    susie

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  10. Susie~If you want a sweet scone, the vanilla bean would be great and you could also add some dried fruit; cherries, blueberries, cranberries.

    However, the next morning, I heated up one of the scones and slathered some of my homemade strawberry jam (http://mymothersapronstrings.blogspot.com/2010/04/hmmmmstrawberry-jam.html) and it was sweet and savory. Enjoy creating! Susan

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