Cheddar-Jalapeño Scones

I added about 2-3 finally sliced green onions to the original recipe to give it even more pep.  It worked.  These are fantastic at any time of the day, morning and night.  I got the recipe from Smitten Kitchen, who adapted it from Peter Oleyer at Calexico Carne Asada in Brooklyn via NYMag.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick or 4 ounces) cold butter, diced
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 eggs, divided
1/4 pound sharp Cheddar cheese, diced
2 medium jalapeño peppers, finely minced
3 scallions, finely sliced


Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. In a small skillet, melt 1/2 tablespoon of butter and sauté the jalapeños for a few minutes, until soft. Let them cool, then place them in a small bowl with the cheddar cheese and coat them with one tablespoon of the flour. Combine the remaining flour with the baking powder and salt. Cut in the remaining butter with a fork or two knives, until the butter bits are pea sized.

Lightly whip two of the eggs and cream and add to the flour and butter mixture. Using a wooden spoon, fold mixture until it begins to come together. Add the cheddar-jalapeño mixture to the dough, as well as the scallions, and mix until everything is incorporated.

Turn out the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead gently for less than one minute. Pat dough out to a 3/4- to 1-inch thickness and either cut into 8 triangles or the shape of your choice with a biscuit cutter. Make an egg wash by beating the remaining egg with a teaspoon of water. Brush the scones with egg wash and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

These are definitely best on the first day, but can be put back in the oven for a quick warm-up the next day.

Scones are always best the first day.

Scones

Adapted from Alice Waters' "The Art of Simple Food," these puppies are seriously easy to whip up. Also, I usually make a batch and keep them at work for a great breakfast, even in the midst of craziness.

Besides being nice and crunchy around the edges and they're not too dense or sweet. Instead of dried apricots, try dried cherries, cranberries, raisins, chocolate chips, fresh blueberries, or, my next choice when I make these scones, frozen cranberries.


Ingredients

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (or whole-wheat pastry flour)
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/3 cups cream
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar (you can use regular sugar or the darker, all-natural sugar aka Demerara sugar, which is what I used)
1/2 cup dried fruit (optional, and of your choice) or, alternatively, fresh berries or frozen ones.


Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Measure, and mix together in a large bowl the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.

Stir in the cream, and mix until the dough just starts to come together, it will be wet and sticky. Stir in (optional) the fruit at this point, if you wish. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, and knead briefly, just until the dough is brought completely together and the fruit is well-distributed.

Pat the dough into an 8-inch circle, and brush with the melted butter. Sprinkle the dough with the sugar, and cut the dough into 8 wedges. Place wedges approximately 1-inch apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment, wax paper, or a silicone liner.

Bake for 17 minutes or until golden brown along the edges.