Cherry Chocolate Chip Scones

My favorite cook book these days is “Perfect Party Foods,” by Diane Phillips, the Diva of Do-Ahead. (Find Diane online at http://www.dianephillips.com/ for more recipes)   It was nominated for the James Beard Award a couple of years ago – it’s that good.  Scones can be easy, do ahead and wonderful.  I make them on the weekend, freeze the uncooked scones individually,  then pull them out whenever I want fresh baked scones.  And these are really good - one friend said these were the best scones she had ever had anywhere! 

Follow this link to the recipe: 

Cherry Chocolate Chip Scones

·         3 ½  cups unbleached all-purpose flour

·         1½ T baking powder

·         ½ t. salt

·         ⅓ cup sugar

·         ⅓ cup miniature chocolate chips (regular size okay  if can’t find miniatures)

·         ⅓ cup chopped dried cherries

·         2½  cups heavy cream

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·         2T milk or heavy cream

·         2 large egg yolks

·         3T sugar (I use turbinado)

Night before:

Set oven to come on at 400° so that it is ready when you get up.

Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silicone liner.  

Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.  Stir in chocolate chips and chopped cherries..  Then stir in the cream until the dough begins to form a mass.  Put dough on a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth, about 6 times.

Divide the dough into two parts, and pat into a circle about ¾ inch thick. Cut each disk into 8 or 10 wedges, and transfer to the prepared sheet.  For larger scones, you can put half of dough in each circle, then cut into 8 or 10 wedges.  (At this point, you can cover with saran wrap and refrigerate overnight or freeze.  Once frozen, transfer wedges to a zip-lock plastic bag, and keep for up to a month.  Defrost for 30 minutes before continuing.)  

If you have done all this, and have frozen scones, put them on a prepared cookie sheet the night before, and put in the refrigerator.

Next morning:

Preheat oven to 400°.  Stir together milk or cream and egg yolks, and brush over the scones.  Sprinkle with sugar.  Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.  Makes between 16 and 32 scones, depending on how small you cut them.

VARIATIONS:

You can use all chocolate chips, all  dried cherries, or dried blueberries, raisins, any other dried fruit.  

NOTES:

• For smaller scones, divide dough into 4 parts.  Pat each into a circle about ¾ inch thick.  Cut into 6 pieces (or 4 or 8), then transfer entire circle to the prepared pan, leaving it in a circle with the wedges touching.
• When I am in a hurry, I skip the egg wash and just sprinkle sugar on the top.  Turbinado sugar holds its shape through baking.  Do not do the egg wash before refrigerating or freezing – needs to be done just before putting in the oven.
• Easy, quick, do-ahead for entertaining. 
• Do NOT use fresh fruit