Crumbly and tender, these cherry scones come together in 40 minutes. They can be frozen and baked to order, so you eat warm, out-of-the-oven scones every time!
After a huge storm that flooded many areas of this city last week, including my neighborhood, we're finally having what can be referred to as wonderful spring days. The perfect way to start the week.
But the holiday season calls for berries, chocolate, and baking, doesn't it?
I dream of cranberries.
I love them, their acid sweet flavor, beautiful deep color, and the way they have of livening up any sweet or savory thing they get thrown into.
So when the polls were closed, and cranberries emerged as the winner of the November challenge, let's say I was challenged more than ever. The closest I had found were sour cherries. They taste surprisingly like cranberries and have that deep red hue. But they only grow in cold climates, south of the country, and never make it to the city.
Scones have very simple ingredients, but a few pointers should be followed if you want soft, tender ones that are nicely risen.
Tips for making scones
- Very cold ingredients. I'm not kidding when I say frozen butter, at least very cold. And don't take the cream half an hour before mixing the scones. Butter, and cream, belong in the fridge until you need to scatter and pour them.
- Handle the dough lightly. Don't overwork the dough. It needs to remain as cold as possible so the butter doesn't start to melt and you get that crumbly texture.
- A rather high oven. They need that extra heat to rise however they can in spite of all that butter and cream. And if by any chance you forgot to turn the oven on before you start with the mixing, please don't leave the baking sheet with the cut scones waiting on the counter. Put them in the fridge or freezer for the ten or fifteen minutes it takes for the oven to reach its temperature.
Freezing scones.
One of the best parts of making scones is that you can have them frozen, and unbaked until you need them.
Cut and put in a cookie sheet that fits into your freezer. Freeze in the tray until completely solid. You can transfer to a plastic bag until ready to use or pop the whole tray in a pre-heated 375°F oven. No need to defrost them.
What type of chocolate should we use?
- A good semi-sweet chocolate bar cut into chunks is my first option. Or use the packaged chocolate chunks. I prefer them to chips because they are larger and melt better, but you can use your favorite chocolate chip if that's all you have.
They turned out wonderful, not only the scones but the pairing of chocolate with the berries.
So yes, the whole scone turned out good, very good, a cross between breakfast and tea time. Or a snack. They are not too sweet and have those dark and somewhat sour stumbles when you bite into them.
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Chocolate Sour Cherry Scones
Crumbly and tender, these scones come together in 40 minutes.
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 12 small scones
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 4 Tbs sugar
- ¼ cup butter, melted
- 1 egg
- 3 Tbs buttermilk. cold
- ½ cup sour cream, cold
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate, in chunks
- ½ cup sour cherries (pitted), fresh or frozen
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ºF/190°C.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a bowl mix sour cream with baking soda.
- In the bowl of a food processor put flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
- Process a few times to mix. In a bowl mix butter, egg, buttermilk, and sour cream with baking soda.
- Pour over flour mixture and process with a few on/off pulses just until it begins to come together. Don't over mix.
- If making by hand put dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix wet ingredients in another bowl and add. Mix with a fork until it becomes a shaggy mass. Continue as instructed below.
- Transfer the shaggy mass to a bowl and add the chocolate and cherries. Lightly mix with a fork to distribute.
- Dump the dough onto the lightly floured work surface and fold it over itself a few times, enough to gather it all together but without kneading. Don't overwork. It will be irregular and spots will be dry.
- Pat the dough and cut rounds using a cookie cutter.
- Put on the baking sheets, freeze for 10 minutes, and then bake for 20 minutes, until they are golden.
- Let cool a bit on a wire rack.
- Eat warm.
Notes
You can substitute the sour cherries for same amount of cranberries or raisins.
Freezing: freeze the scones, unbaked, until ready to bake. Tranfer directly, without defrosting them, to a preheated 375°F oven.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Scones & Biscuits
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: International
Keywords: cherry scones, cherry chocolate scones
Adapted from Ann Pillsbury's Baking Book, 1950 edition
Teni says
Hi I love chocolate and sour cherry scones, can I ask when would you add chocolate chunks and sour cherries to the mixture and also are the cherries fresh or dried. Many thanks!
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Teni, they are added after the wet ingredients. The cherries can be fresh or frozen. But you can use dried cherries or cranberries.
Aurica says
uuhhhhhh, crunchy, fluffy and marvelous, they're so gooooood
Kathy says
Oh these scones look perfect…love the combo of sour cherries and chocolate! The things we take for granted…I really have never thought of cranberries as exotic. Very nice, Paula!
Carrie Burrill says
What a perfect scone! I can never get enough new scone recipes. This one is perfect for our Chocolate Party!
cakewhiz says
great addition to the chocolate party! i am really enjoying looking at everyone's recipes this month 😀
Roxana | Roxana's Home Baking says
we have sour cherries in Romania but here in the US even those canned that say sour cherries have so much sugar they aren't sour at all.
What a great idea to use them in scones, beautiful and delicious