Milk Chocolate Chunk, Dried Cherry & Almond Scones

 

 

Scones:
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. sugar
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. fine-grained kosher or sea salt
1-1/2 oz. (3 tbsp.) unsalted butter, chilled
3 oz. milk chocolate, chopped into small chunks
1/4 cup dried cherries, roughly chopped
1/4 cup toasted whole unblanched almonds, roughly chopped
1 large egg at room temperature
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Egg Wash and Garnish:
1 large egg yolk
1 tbsp. heavy cream
2 tsp. Demerara or turbinado sugar



Directions:
1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat it to 400¡F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a non-stick liner.
2. Place the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse briefly to blend.
3. Cut the butter into small pieces and add. Pulse until the butter is cut into tiny pieces, about 30 seconds.
4. Add the chocolate, dried cherries and almonds. Pulse briefly to mix.
5. Lightly beat together the cream and egg yolk. With the food processor on, pour the mixture through the feed tube. Process until the dough forms a ball, about 30 seconds.
6. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and pat into a circle or rectangle 3/4" high. Use a 2" heart-shaped cutter to cut out the scones. Transfer them to the baking sheet, leaving 1" of space between them.
7. Lightly beat the egg yolk and cream together. Use a pastry brush to brush the tops of the scones 2 times with the egg wash, then sprinkle them with the sugar.
8. Bake for 12–14 minutes, until light golden. Remove the pan from the oven and cool on a rack.

Makes 18, 2" heart-shaped scones.