Alana
This past weekend was Stephen’s bachelor party, and unfortunately Theresa and I were not able to attend. Stephen and his buddies road tripped it out to Panorama for some skiing and chilling in the mountains. Road trips mean snacks, so Theresa and I decided to whip up a few things for Stephen and company to take with them. First on our list was scones!
The recipe we used was written by one of Theresa’s co-workers, Jamie, at a chocolate shop in Edmonton called Jacek Chocolate Couture. They have the most beautiful chocolates, it’s really something. Anyways, all of the Jacek recipes feature their chocolate as an ingredient. This particular one called for their dulcey chocolate callets, which are caramalized white chocolate and insanely delicious.
We made a double batch, there was a lot of dough!
The combination of the chocolate and cheddar in this recipe is amazing and something I don’t think I could have imagined myself. Jamie is actually a trained pastry chef, so no wonder they were so good. There were a couple things however that threw Theresa and I a little bit about the recipe. Firstly, the recipe requires you to chill the scones prior to putting them in the oven. Secondly, the baking time specified totaled 50 minutes!
A quick Google helped me figure out that the chilling in the fridge is just to help the scones stay tender and flaky. I was suspicious that this would be the reason because cold butter gives scones their texture. Chilling the scones is definitely optional according to the tips I was reading through, but you only need about 5-10 minutes.
Theresa putting on the egg wash; you can see how the scones were coming along at the 30 minute mark.
As far as the baking time goes I think 50 minutes is just too long. The recipe says bake for 30 minutes before brushing the scones with an egg wash, then baking for another 20 minutes or until golden. Obviously following a recipe doesn’t magically bind you to adhering 100% to the instructions, so less time a realistic option. We did stick to the instructions, and our scones were already golden when we took them out for the egg wash. I guess what I’m trying to say, is be aware and probably bake for around 30 minutes total. Regardless, this recipe deserves a repeat (even if I don’t test out shorter baking times)!
Cheddar and Caramelized White Chocolate Scones
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp baking powder
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 eggs, divided (if you can really divide eggs?)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ¾ cup cold unsalted butter
- ¾ cup chopped caramelized white chocolate callets
Directions
- Ready a baking sheet with parchment paper. If you don’t plan on resting your dough in the fridge, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, mix together the flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder.
- In a second bowl, mix together the buttermilk and one of the eggs
- Cut butter into cubes and add to the dry ingredients. Using your hands, break the butter into small pieces while mixing it with the rest of the ingredients in the bowl (bits of butter should be rice sized or a bit larger, like a coarse meal).
- Form a well in the butter mixture, and pour the buttermilk mixture into the centre. Start to gently mix with your hands.
- After 4-5 folds add cheese and chocolate, folding until loosely incorporated.
- On a floured surface, fold another 4-5 times until just combined.
- Flatten dough into a circle, and cut into 8ths. Place on baking sheet, and place them in the fridge for 5-10 minutes (original recipe called for 30; I would leave them in there until the oven is hot). Preheat oven to 400 degrees F, unless you are skipping the fridge rest.
- Beat remaining egg with a fork for wash.
- Place scones in the oven for 15 minutes (original says 30), then remove and brush the tops of the scones with the egg wash. Bake for another 10-15 minutes (original says 20) or until golden.
- Let cool for 10-15 minutes, then enjoy 🙂
Chateau Gateau 