Chocolate Cherry Cardamom Cream Scone
The name is a mouthful, but these scones truly could not be easier to make. Truly, I think cream scones may be the easiest pastry to make. At the very least, they are the easiest type of scone.
There are two main types of scones - cream and butter. Cream scones use only cream as the source of fat and liquid. The result is a soft, delicate, cake-like scone that I find lends itself well to sweet inclusions such as chocolate and/or dried fruit.
Butter scones utilize both butter and cream (or buttermilk). The addition of butter creates a scone that, to me, is more akin to a sweet biscuit. The inside is soft, flaky, and buttery, but the outside develops some crunchy edges. I find that butter scones pair well with fruit inclusions (fresh or dried) as well as more savory ones like cheese and herbs.
Both scones are amazing and have their time and place. But right now, it’s all about the cream scone.
Makes: 12 scones
Active time: 15 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
450g (2 1/3 cups) all purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
70g (1/3 cup) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
125g (4.5oz) bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped
125g (4.5oz) dried cherries, unsweetened, roughly chopped
420g (1 3/4 cup) heavy cream, cold, plus extra for brushing
40g (3 tablespoons) granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
Method
In a large bowl, add the 450g (2 1/3 cups) flour, 70g (1/3 cup) sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon cardamom, and whisk.
Roughly chop 125g (4.5oz) bittersweet chocolate and 125g (4.5oz) dried cherries and add into the dry ingredients.
Add 420g (1 3/4 cup) heavy cream to the dry ingredients and use a spatula to mix, just until everything is combined and no dry spots remain.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide in half. It’s okay to eyeball it, it doesn’t need to be exact. Using your hands or a rolling pin, shape each half into a 4.5” circle that is about 1/2” tall. Cut each circle into 6 scones.
Line a large sheet tray with parchment, space the scones about an inch apart and place in the freezer for 15 minutes.
While the scones chill, preheat the oven to 400F.
In a small bowl, pour about a 1/4 cup of heavy cream and set aside. In a separate small bowl, add 40g (3 tablespoons) sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cardamom.
Once the scones have chilled and the oven is ready, lightly brush the tops of the scones with reserved heavy cream and sprinkle each with a little cardamom sugar.
Bake for 13-15 minutes, until the edges are very lightly golden.
Allow to cool on the tray for 5-10 minutes and then move to a cooling rack.
Store scones in an airtight container at room temperature 3-4 days. Baked scones can be frozen for several months and retoasted in a 350F oven.
