It’s Tuesday. I need treats! Why? Let me count the ways.
1 – We fell back Sunday. Okay, that’s really not as big a hardship as that whole spring forward thing come March or April…
2 – It’s election day here in the good ol’ USA. And yes, I’m probably standing in line as you’re reading this.
3 – I had two mornings in a row where the tornado sirens went off in the middle of the night. Lack of sleep is not a fun thing.
And finally, 4 – I have a new book out and there are recipes to share from various characters. Here’s today’s:
Moonstruck Chocolate Chip Scones
Prep time: 10 Minutes
Cook time: 20 Minutes
Total time: 30 min
Servings: 8 Scones
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup light brown sugar packed
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter cubed and cold
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
Raw or sanding sugar*
EGG WASH
1 large egg room temperature
1 tbsp heavy whipping cream
Instructions
1 – In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
2 – With a pastry blender or two forks, cut in the cold cubed butter until pea-sized pieces remain. Stir in the chocolate chips.
3 – Pour the heavy cream in slowly, gently mixing until the dough is moist and begins to come together. Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a lightly floured surface. Gently knead the dough until it comes together and shape into a flattened disk.
4 – With a bench scraper* portion the dough into 8 wedges. Place the wedges of dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate the scones for 30 minutes.
5 -While the scones are chilling, preheat the oven to 400°F. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and tablespoon of heavy cream. Brush the egg wash onto each scone, you will not use all of the egg wash. Sprinkle each scone with the raw/sanding sugar.
6 – Bake the scones for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Tips:
1 – Store the scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
2 – You can also freeze in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
3 – Serve warm with your choice of topping–like maybe whip up some of that leftover heavy cream. There’s also ice cream, jam, or even syrup if you want to turn a snack into breakfast.
4 – You want a grainy sugar to go on top of the scones. There are minor differences between raw and sanding sugar that has to do with processing, not texture. You want a “crunchy” texture.
There you go. Scones! How Irish can you get, right? And there’s that whole tea and scones thing they have going on. Me? I’m definitely coffee and scones. Shannon Maguire, who raised her baby brother Bowie, waitresses at Clancy’s, and despairs of ever being noticed by Mick O’Connor, is the character who shared this recipe with me. She admits that this is a pretty basic recipe and she’s been known to toss all sorts of things in to change up the flavors. The chocolate chips began as a special treat for Bowie when he was a kid and frankly, who can resist chocolate chips?!?! Trust me when I say she usually made two batches because as soon a Bowie would appear with his scone, all the others would show up at the door wanting their own. This gaggle included Mick, of course. If you want to learn more about Shannon and Mick and/or Bowie (and his Fee), then grab MOONSTRUCK MAFIA: BOSTON. Just click on a pic with the cover or the title right up there which will pop you over to Books2Read where you can find a link to your favorite on-line bookseller.
So, what’s it gonna be? Tea or coffee with your scone?
*A bench scraper is this THING. I’m thinking I NEED one of those but in the meantime, I’ve used the large cleaver in my fancy kitchen knife set. 🙄
Silver James 