TheCompanySheKeeps

My love affair with scones began about a year ago, on my birthday with Strawberry Cream Scones. I’d first tried scones from Alice’s Tea Cup in NYC nearly 11 years ago and only sporadically since then, from Starbucks or Great Harvest. As all love affairs go, it started in a moment. You know the one, hand to mouth, where upon first bite, I knew I was a goner and had fallen fast and hard for the homemade kind. Our birthdays all fall within a three week time period and just like that, I was making a different kind of scones for each of our birthdays. These happen to be Leah’s favorite.

Ingredients

For the scones:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar (vanilla bean sugar)
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 stick cold butter, cut into small pieces
• 2/3 cups heavy cream + 2 tbsps. (use vanilla bean cream)
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1 vanilla bean

For the glaze:

• 1 vanilla bean
• 2 cups powdered sugar (vanilla bean sugar)
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1-2 tbsps. heavy cream (use vanilla bean cream)

Preparation:

Note: To make vanilla bean sugar, I measured out 2 cups of granulated sugar, sliced the bean pod, scraped out the insides, and using the back of the spoon, worked the vanilla into the sugar. I did the same thing with the powdered sugar. Then, instead of discarding the bean pods, insert into the container of heavy cream. Label the cream, if necessary, so you don’t end up using vanilla bean cream in a soup!

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a food processor, combine the flour, vanilla bean sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and butter. Pulse a few times until crumbly.

In a separate bowl, combine the vanilla cream and egg, and incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, until just mixed in. On a lightly floured surface, roll out or pat down to about an inch thickness and form into a rectangle or disc, and cut into wedges. Tip: I always use a pizza cutter for this part.

Using a metal spatula that’s been lightly floured, transfer the wedges onto the prepared baking sheet. Brush with vanilla flavored cream. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack. While cooling, in a small bowl, whisk together the vanilla bean powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and vanilla cream. Brush the glaze over the tops of each scone. Repeat.

Need I say more? The title speaks for itself. Leah said these tasted like they should be called chocolate chip cookie dough scones. I’m convinced it’s the brown butter, that stuff is like magic, giving a completely different taste than just regular ol’ glorious butter.

I made the brown butter the night before so it was ready to go in the morning. I used 1 1/2 sticks of butter and measured it out into ramekins so I knew how much was in each one. Be sure to include the little bits of golden crisps when storing the butter.

Ingredients:

For the scones:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 8 tbsp. brown butter, cold & cut in 1/2 inch pieces
• 2/3 cups half & half + 2 tbsp. half & half
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup chocolate chunks

For the glaze:

• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 -2 tbsp. half & half, depending on desired consistency
• 1 tbsp. brown butter, melted
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
• pinch of salt

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet with either parchment paper or silicone baking mat; set aside. In a large bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut in the 8 tbsps. of brown butter until mixture is coarse. Stir in the chocolate chunks. In a small bowl, whisk together the 2/3 cups of half & half, egg, and vanilla together. Pour into dry mixture, and stir together until just combined. On a lightly floured surface, turn the dough and pat out into a 7 inch disc. Cut into 6 wedges and transfer to prepared baking sheet. Brush the scones with the remaining 2 tbsp. of half and half. Bake for 12 -14 minutes or until light, golden brown. Remove from oven, transfer to cooling rack and allow to cool.

While scones are cooling, prepare the glaze. Melt the brown butter, add in the vanilla extract and salt. Whisk in the powdered sugar and half & half. Using a basting brush, brush each scone with the glaze. There is enough glaze, depending on how much half & half is used, to do this twice with each scone.