and, an update on using supermarket chocolate…….
In my dreams, it isn’t snowing frozen water, it’s snowing powdery billows of gently falling cocoa. They silently flutter down and then blow in the wind into big drifts; they swirl into mounds of angel-y cocoa-brown. I can smell the warm and inimitable aromas wafting up and around me and my pillows are covered with a light cocoa-y dust as I awake………. Wait, doesn’t everyone dream in chocolate? Ok, so I needed a little fantasy today!
Who hasn’t worked with cocoa powder and found it to billow up around you in a powdery swirl of ultimate dreamy soft scented haze? Poof! (This reminds me of the great cover photo of Dominique Ansel’s book – but with cocoa!) While we have flour blowing up from the bowl often, it’s just not the same. Cocoa aroma is like being swathed in a blanket from heaven.
After that dream sequence, I just needed the literal aroma of cocoa wafting through the house. I awoke to another dismal looking day and winds, they are a’howlin outside my door. So far, February isn’t being kind to us around here. And while I had a list of other things to do, I found myself back in the kitchen, oven on, where I get the most rewardful (is that a word?) moments. It is one of those therapeutic endeavors that never fails to lift one’s spirits.
Getting a great chocolate scone can be an elusive endeavor. You don’t want something that resembles a brownie or a cake, you want the classic scone texture. And, I am always happiest when I achieve great loft and a nice light crumb.
I’m a stickler for a scone’s texture – this is what I try for – an über crunch exterior.
There are many ways to work to achieve this, but chocolate can be a heavy ingredient, weighing down the scone and making it dense, which I don’t like. So, today, finding myself to be a bit wary, I zipped off an email to Rose Levy Berenbaum (www.realbakingwithrose.com). I refer her as, “Rose Knows” as to me, she has one of the most encyclopedic minds and genius in the baking world. Can’t wait to hear from her.
Ok, my update on supermarket chocolate. Of course, we learned in pastry school to use the very best quality of chocolate you can find. This is the ultimate luxury as it can be hard to find and is expensive. Some days I resort to using whatever is in my pantry and I always have a supply of Nestle’s Chocolate Chips on hand. Lately though, and especially when I made the Orange and Chocolate Scones for my friend Angelo a few months back, I used Guittard, which I had gotten in Whole Foods (which, of course is a supermarket also, but). Anyway, I have noticed that the Guittard melt much better and yield a beautiful ooey-gooey texture that we all want! So, after today I’m off the Nestle’s. (https://kitchen-inspirational.com/2014/09/26/bribery-chocolate-orange-scone/ – these are delicious! and I can’t believe I didn’t photo the oozy-gooey)
But, being the impatient sort that I am and because I had had some very nice success so far this week in my other two batches, I decided to try. Why not? What’s the worst that can happen.
I think these eggs are beautiful
CHOCOLATE CHERRY SCONES –
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweeted cocoa powder (I use Scharfenberger)
1 tblsp baking powder
1 tsp espresso powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
8 tblsp unsalted butter, cold, cubed
2 ex large eggs, room temp
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup 2% plain greek yogurt
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/8 tsp Boyajian Natural Cherry flavoring (or 1 tsp Kirsch)
1/2 cup chocolate chips (today I used Nestle, but I am going back to Guittard, which are much superior)
3/4 cups dried cherries, chopped
egg wash
muscavado sugar for sprinkling
Preheat oven to 425F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In the bowl of your food processor, whir together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, salt and expresso powder. Add the cubed butter and pulse about 8 times or until the butter bits resemble small peas. In a measuring cup, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, yogurt, almond extract and cherry flavoring (or Kirsch). Place dry ingredients in a low, wide bowl. Make a well in the center. Pour the wet ingredients in and, working with a dough scraper, gently bring the dry ingredients into the wet. When they are about half-way incorporated, add the cherries and chocolate chips. Knead together with your hands until the dough holds together. Move it to the baking sheet and mold it into a 9″disk. Cut the dough into 9 wedges with a bench scraper. Brush lightly with egg wash and sprinkle muscavado sugar over.
Bake for 20 minutes or until puffed, crunchy and firm in middle when pressed with your finger.
Serve with best-quality cherry preserves and a dollop of creme fraiche and your very best and favorite cup of tea. Enjoy!
they look like a flower a little, don’t they?