Chocolate Fudge Scones

Scones.  Are they breakfast food?  Are they mid-morning snacks?  Are they dessert?  Scones can be any of these things, but this recipe for Chocolate Fudge Scones leans toward a dessertiness that can be beautifully complimented with raspberry preserves or  hot fudge and vanilla ice cream. 

While you might not find such chocolate-infused pastries at a proper British tea, we Americans embrace chocolate-anything and this recipe is well-rounded enough to satisfy our innate fudge cravings with a tad more sophistication!

CHOCOLATE FUDGE SCONES
makes 1 dozen

1 1/2  cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons cold butter (1 1/2 bars)
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1/2 cup buttermilk (or 1/2 cup milk soured with 1 tbsp. vinegar)
2 beaten eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg for egg wash

Powdered sugar

In large mixing bowl, stir together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Cut in cold butter with a pastry cutter, or two knives, until the butter is the size of small peas.  Make sure that you can still see pieces of butter and that they don't disappear into the mix.  Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts, if using.

Beat two eggs together in a medium mixing bowl.  Add buttermilk and vanilla.  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and pour egg mixture in the middle.  Pull it all together with a fork until all ingredients are moistened.  Place in refrigerator for half an hour.

On floured surface (parchment paper or wax paper) pat out all the dough into a 1/2 inch thick rectangle.  Fold it over itself a few times, patting it into a new rectangle each time.  This makes flaky layers.  Pat the dough into a final, evenly shaped rectangle.  Cut in half.  Shape each half into a 6" round circle, evenly shaped, a bit higher in the center and slightly tapered at the perimeter.  Place each round onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet.  Freeze for half an hour.

Remove from freezer and with sharp knife or fluted cutter, cut each round into six wedges.  Separate the wedges and place back on the parchment-lined cookie sheet.  Brush with beaten egg/  Bake at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes. 

Cool for 10 minutes and remove to wire rack.  Lightly sprinkle cooled scones with confectioners sugar. 


Photo image borrowed from: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyRAa-SdGCoESTcf3mWvtUXhvGxu1wtNAc4MgpY6uBV70CntbHAvnPJynwj1xvCuhhXADL463xbsxqhgO6AL472xOLkxT1HEpoyKXszrCRkN1IiY_tqVsJ8XnYl9xNIur5cxbVH1HLhZW2/s1600-h/chocolate_scone.jpg