The Best Cheese Scones Ever

June 21, 2020  •  No Comments

For those days when life requires comfort food, I give you this recipe for the best cheese scones ever. It’s light and tasty and goes with soup, salad, or a ploughman’s lunch.

Heat oven to 425 F and grease a baking tray or two (I usually double the batch).

Sift:

. 2 cups flour

. 1 tsp baking powder

. 1 tsp cream of tartar

. 1/2 tsp sea salt

. 1 tsp dried chervil (oregano would probably work, too)

Work in so it’s not clumpy:

. 1/3 cup minced parsley

. 1/3 cup minced fresh dill

Cut in 1/4 cup of soft butter until it’s like fine breadcrumbs. Then add:

. 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Make a well in the center and pour in:

. 1/2 cup to 2/3 cup heavy cream.

Start with a half cup of liquid and mix with a wooden spoon until all the dry ingredients are absorbed. Add more liquid if it seems too dry.  Turn onto a floured board and knead just enough to make the dough elastic. Pat into a round about an inch thick and cut into rounds with a cookie cutter until all the dough is used up. If you prefer, rolling the dough into snakes will make pretty good bread sticks for dipping into hummus or tzatziki.

Brush the tops of the scones with a little milk, then bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the tops are golden.  Cool on a wire rack.

Don’t be shy about doubling or tripling the recipe – these are perfect for taking to the office, making care packages for friends, or freezing in smaller amounts. They can also be split and toasted in a toaster oven. I like them with avocado and sliced tomato with a pinch of carrot and beet sauerkraut. In another mood, they’re great with a tart currant jelly.

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