We love making scones because they are not only easy to make, even for novice home bakers, but they are a blank canvas for all types of flavour combinations. While berries don't necessarily scream Christmas, the combination of white chocolate and raspberries is undeniably festive.
In Steven Hodge's cookbook Chocolate All Day, the pastry chef and Food Network Canada personality showcases the versatility of chocolate with 100+ interesting recipes. His recipe for white chocolate and rasberry scones is a great example of said versatility.
"These scones are light and airy, with a beautiful outer crust for texture. If you’d rather try this recipe with a different berry, go for it, but if you’re adding fresh berries, give them a quick freeze to firm up their structure, so they don’t become mush when you fold them into the batter," says Steven Hodge in the introduction to this recipe in his cookbook.
White chocolate raspberry scones
1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, cold
3½ cups + 1/3 cup (575 g) all-purpose flour
½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
4 teaspoons (12 g) baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
6.7 oz (190 g) white chocolate
1½ cups (375 ml) heavy cream
2 large eggs
11/3 cups (200 g) frozen raspberries
1 tablespoon (8 g) icing sugar, optional
1 large egg
2 tablespoons (30 ml) whole milk
Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut the butter into 1-inch cubes and place on a plate in the freezer or fridge for about 10 minutes to get really cold.
In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Chop the white chocolate and set it aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk the cream and eggs to combine.
Using your hands, work the cold butter into the dry ingredients until it has the texture of coarse meal, being careful not to overmix.
Pour the cream mixture into the dry ingredients and gently stir together until just combined. Add the chopped chocolate and frozen raspberries and gently fold into the dough to distribute them evenly. If the dough is too wet, adjust the texture by dusting a little flour over the surface to achieve the right consistency. You should be able to move and pick up the dough without it sticking to your fingers or the work surface.
Flour your work surface and roll out the dough into a 9-inch square, adding a bit more flour if needed to keep it from sticking. Cut the square into 9 equal pieces. Place the pieces on the lined baking sheet and refrigerate for 10 minutes to chill the dough.
To make the egg wash, whisk together the egg and milk.
Once the scones have chilled, lightly brush them with the egg wash, then bake for about 18 to 20 minutes, or until they’re a light golden color.
Before serving, you can dust the tops with icing sugar to add sweetness, if you like.
Author's note: The key to perfect scones is to start with cold butter and not overwork the dough. If the butter becomes warm as you work with it, place the flour-and-butter mixture in the fridge for 20 minutes, until it is cold again. Cold butter creates air pockets as the dough bakes, resulting in a flakier pastry.
- Yield:
- 9 scones
- Prep Time:
- 15 minutes
- Cook Time:
- 20 minutes
