The light, sweet scones enjoyed in England are nothing like the heavy, somewhat dry scones we usually have here in the states. They are more like our biscuits, but sweet.
Of course “biscuit” in England means what we here would call a cookie. So confusing.
I set out to make a light, savory scone, and in the process learned that, at least here in America, what I was making would more normally be called a biscuit. (According to some, scones have eggs, biscuits don’t.)
But also here in America, if the baked good in question is round, it’s called a biscuit, and if it is triangular, it’s called a scone.
So, call these what you will. Here’s a recipe for delicious buttermilk scones/biscuits, made with goat cheese and chives, and shaped into wedges. You can shape them any which way you like.
Savory Scones with Goat Cheese and Chives Recipe
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cook time: 20 minutes
- Yield: Makes 8 scones
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) chilled butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of freshly chopped chives (can also use chopped green onions)
- 1 5-ounce log soft fresh goat cheese, crumbled
- 1 cup buttermilk (plus an extra tablespoon for finish)
Method
1 Preheat oven to 400°F. Line 2 heavy baking sheets with silpat or parchment paper.
2 Make the dough: Whisk flour, baking powder, sugar, baking soda, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Using fingertips, rub butter into dry ingredients until coarse meal forms.
Stir in the chives. Add cheese and buttermilk; stir with fork just until a sticky dough forms (bits of cheese will be visible in dough).
3 Knead the dough and form into rounds, cut into wedges: Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently 8 times with floured hands. Do not over-knead!
Form into a round, about 3/4-inch to an inch thick. Cut the round into 8 wedges.
4 Use a pastry brush to brush on some extra buttermilk over the surface of the wedges.
5 Bake: Arrange wedges about 1/2 inch apart on an un-greased large baking sheet and bake at 400°F in the middle of the oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
Cool on a rack.
Best eaten just baked and warm, with a little butter.
