Cheddar-scallion scones

Okay, apparently what I really needed was a weekend of doing nothing productive (well, I guess I did clean the kitchen). I spent most of Saturday day lazing around, watching soccer (hmph, my picks are all shot), eating blueberries, drinking watermelon juice...yes, it is every bit as restorative as it sounds. So you would think with the heat, there is no WAY I would be turning the oven on, right? Well, ordinarily, I would not. But sometimes, a girl gets cravings, and I can't fight them. Anyway, these don't bake for very long, so it didn't get TOO warm in here.


I used to live around the corner from this really excellent bakery/cafe that had DELICIOUS scones. Almost all the varieties were great (so buttery!) but my favorites were currant, and scallion-cheddar. I don't want to know how much butter they actually used, but it must have been a very large amount. The scones were more crumbly than flaky and the scallion-cheddar had a very, very mild hint of heat to it. Man, I miss that place (although, ordering anything that needed to be prepared was a test of patience). Anyway, this recipe does not compare, but it's great in a pinch. It's also somewhat healthier; the scones are made with whole wheat flour and what I am SURE is a much smaller amount of butter.


I like to cut these pretty small, my cutter is maybe an inch and a half across. But obviously, you can make them as large or small as you want! And, if you don't want actual spiciness, substitute a bit of paprika for the cayenne. The scallions add a nice, fresh bite.

Oh yeah, and that watermelon juice I keep yammering on about?


I think it might be the only thing that'll get me through the hot weather.

Cheddar Scallion Scones
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
6 tablespoons butter, cold, chopped into small chunks
2 large eggs
1/3-1/2 cup cream
1 cup sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
2-3 scallions, finely sliced (white and green parts)
Additional cream and cayenne for the tops of the scones

Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Whisk the flour, salt, baking powder, and cayenne together in a medium bowl. Drop the butter bits in and cut in with a pastry blender or rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Whisk the eggs together with 1/3 cup of cream and pour into the flour mixture; stir with a fork until just moistened. If it's still dry and not coming together, add a bit more cream. Add the cheese and scallions and mix briefly until everything is blended. Gather the dough together and pat it out on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about 1/2 inch. Either cut with biscuit cutters or just slice with a knife into squares. Arrange on the prepared baking sheet. You can brush the tops of the scones with a bit of cream and then sprinkle a bit of cayenne on top, but this is purely optional. It will look nicer though! Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden and risen. Cool slightly before eating. These also freeze beautifully; just make sure they're well wrapped, and reheat them for about 10 minutes in the oven.