When I had my cafe I was making scones every morning before we opened at 10am. We always made fruit and cheese scones and they were always good sellers. It took many tries to get a recipe I was happy with and my customers really loved them!
I was asked recently if I could do a chocolate scone as the lady used to get them at her local cafe served with chocolate and hazelnut spread and clotted cream. This sounded like something my youngest son would enjoy so I had to give it a go!
These are a variation of my plain scones and are oozing with chocolate spread and clotted cream. You could also make a Black Forest version with Cherry Jam and cream!
My scones contain buttermilk and they are nice and fluffy inside and rise beautifully. Don’t let the buttermilk put you off as all you need is regular milk and some lemon juice. You don’t need to go out and buy it!
To start Preheat the oven to 220 degrees centigrade (200C Fan) or Gas Mark 7.
Take a baking sheet and place a piece of baking parchment on the top.
In a large bowl weigh out the SR flour, cocoa powder, baking powder.
Mix together, then add the butter.
Rub the butter into the flour mixture until you have a texture of fine breadcrumbs.
Add the sugar and mix.
In a measuring jug put the juice of half a lemon.
Then top up with milk to 100ml. Mix then leave to curdle.
Add the egg and 3/4 of the buttermilk into the dry ingredients.
Bring together with a knife.
Add enough of the remaining buttermilk mixture until the dough comes together. I find it is best to use your hands at this stage so you do not add too much milk. It needs to hold together and be slightly sticky.
Tip the dough onto a lightly floured bench and roll out gently or flatten with your hands to about 2cm thick then cut out with a 6 cm round cutter.
Re-roll and cut out until all the dough is used. If you end up with more than 6 scones you will have rolled the dough too thinly and will end up with flat scones,
Place the scones on the prepared baking tray.
Bake for 12-14minutes.
Leave to cool then serve with chocolate spread and clotted cream.
Sarah’s Chocolate Scones
Sarah’s servings: 6
Sarah's skill: Easy
Baking time: 12-14 minutes
Recipe:
200g Self Raising Flour
30g Cocoa Powder
1 tsp Baking Powder
40g Unsalted Cubed Cold Butter
40g Caster Sugar
1 Large egg
100 ml Buttermilk (milk + juice of half a lemon)
Method:
Preheat the oven to 220 degrees centigrade (200C Fan) or Gas Mark 7.
Take a baking sheet and place a piece of baking parchment on the top.
In a large bowl weigh out the SR flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and butter.
Rub the butter into the flour mixture until you have a texture of fine breadcrumbs.
Add the sugar and mix.
In a measuring jug put the juice of half a lemon then top up with milk to 100ml. Mix then leave to curdle.
Add the egg and 3/4 of the buttermilk into the dry ingredients and bring together with a knife.
Add enough of the remaining buttermilk mixture until the dough comes together. I find it is best to use your hands at this stage so you do not add too much milk. It needs to hold together and be slightly sticky.
Tip the dough onto a lightly floured bench and roll out gently or flatten with your hands to about 2cm thick then cut out with a 6 cm round cutter.
Re-roll and cut out until all the dough is used. If you end up with more than 6 scones you will have rolled the dough too thinly and will end up with flat scones,
Place the scones on the prepared baking tray.
Bake for 12-14minutes.
Leave to cool then serve with chocolate hazelnut spread and clotted cream.
Sarah’s extra slice......
Makes approx 6 scones with a 6 cm cutter. If you end up with more than 6 scones you will have rolled the dough too thinly and will end up with flat scones.
Serve with chocolate hazelnut spread and clotted cream or make a Black Forest version with cherry jam and cream.