Orange Cream Chocolate Scones
Serves: This recipe makes 12 large scones. You can prepare them and freeze them to bake off later, if you prefer.
 
Ingredients
  • 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (like this)
  • ½ cup sugar (organic, non-GMO sugar like this)
  • 2 Tbsp baking powder (aluminum-free like this)
  • 4 eggs (very cold)
  • 1 and ½ cups heavy whipping cream (organic, if possible)
  • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract (like this)
  • 8 Tbsp unsalted butter, very cold (never substitute margarine on this)
  • 1 Tbsp fresh orange zest
  • 1½ cups chocolate chips (soy-free, dairy-free chocolate chips like this)
  • Turbinado sugar for sprinkling, optional (organic, non-GMO like this)
Instructions
  1. Combine together flour, sugar, baking powder and set aside.
  2. With a whisk, mix eggs, cream, and vanilla extract. Place this in the fridge to keep cold.
  3. Cut the butter into very small pieces with a sharp knife and add to your flour mix. Use a pastry cutter or 2 knives to cut the butter into the flour. The goal is to have small pieces of butter visible by the time you are done.
  4. If you mix in the butter too small, the butter will just melt and run out of the scone while you are baking them. Instead, you want it in pieces so the butter will actually rise and give the scone a light interior crumb. The last thing you want are tough scones and over processing can do that.
  5. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and blend very gently with a rubber spatula by folding the flour and milk mix over each other until it comes together. Again, really watch your hand on it so you don't overwork the dough.
  6. Now, add your fruit, nuts, chocolate, zest, etc. with a spatula. Generally I use about 1 and ½ cup of fruit. For this recipe, you'll want to add in the tablespoon of orange zest.
  7. Place your dough onto a floured work area. Be fairly generous with your flour as the dough really likes to stick. If you find the dough too sticky add a little extra flour and use your pastry cutter to help control the dough. Too dry? Add a bit more heavy cream.
  8. Gently shape your dough into a round and pat down so that it is about 1 inch thick. Now, generously brush your dough with some heavy cream and sprinkle with either turbinado sugar or your granulated. Both provide a bit of crunch to the surface of the baked scone.
  9. Cut your scones into 12 wedges.
  10. Heat your oven 375 degrees. Line 2 baking/cookie sheets with parchment paper and transfer the scones on the sheets. Place 6 on each sheet, leaving plenty of room around each so the heat can get to them evenly and they can rise.
  11. Bake for about 20 min OR until nicely browned and firm to the touch.
Recipe by Scratch Mommy at https://scratchmommy.com/orange-cream-chocolate-scones/