I like to
experiment with different flavor combinations when making scones and this
time I decided to combine dark chocolate with fresh raspberries. To me, the
tangy sweet flavor of raspberries seems to welcome the intensity of smooth
dark chocolate. You will notice that dark chocolate chunks are used and
this is done by cutting up a favorite chocolate bar. I have done this as I love the unevenness of the chocolate
chunks. The other point worth mentioning is about the raspberries.
Fresh raspberries are optimal as they do not bleed into the batter when mixing the dough. However, because
fresh raspberries are not in season for long and also tend to be quite
expensive, a good alternative is frozen. Just be sure not to defrost the
berries before adding them to the dough, and handle the dough as little as possible.
If using frozen berries you may need to add a few
minutes to the baking time.
What makes scones so fun to make is that by varying a few ingredients
you can produce a scone with a very different taste and texture. For
example, while the other scone recipes on the site contain either cream or
buttermilk, this recipe uses yogurt. This gives the
scones a wonderful flavor and produces a softer textured scone. Also, after reading in
Roland Mesnier's 'Dessert University' that he likes to dust the tops of
the baked scones with powdered sugar and then broil them until the tops
have a "nice crunchy crust", I have now taken to doing this with all
my scones. Not only does it look fantastic, but some of the
powdered sugar does not caramelize which gives the scones a very rustic
look. Of course, these scones don't really need it, but a drizzle of
clotted cream is always a welcome treat.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in middle of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large
bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut the butter
into small pieces and blend into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two
knives. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. Stir in the chocolate
chunks (chips) and raspberries. In a small measuring cup whisk together the yogurt,
vanilla extract, and egg. Add this mixture to the flour mixture and stir
just until the dough comes together. Do not over mix.
Transfer to a lightly floured surface and
knead the
dough gently four or five times and then pat, or roll, the dough into a circle
that is about 7 inches (18 cm) round and about 11/2 inches (3.75 cm) thick.
Cut the dough into eight triangles. Place the scones on the baking sheet. Make an egg wash of one well-beaten egg
mixed with 1
tablespoon milk and brush the tops of the scones with this mixture.
Bake
for about 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the
middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and then turn your broiler
on high. Sprinkle confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar over the
tops of the scones and place them under the broiler. Broil for just a few
seconds, turning the pan as necessary, until the sugar has melted and turns
golden brown. Make sure to watch the scones carefully as the sugar will
burn very quickly. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Makes about 8
scones.
Sources:
Mesnier,
Roland. Dessert University. Simon & Schuster. New York: 2004.
Weiner,
Leslie and Albright, Barbara. Simply Scones. St. Martin's Press. New
York: 1988.
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