Remember last Fall when I had dreams of pumpkin that resulted in the fabulous Pumpkin Spice Cake with Honey Frosting? Well I did it again. Only this time I dreamt of white chocolate chip blueberry scones. Oh, yes I did.
And I'm not even sure why. I just woke up and said "I want white chocolate chip blueberry scones" and my husband turned over and looked at me like I was nuts. I've never been a scone eater because the ones I have had were dry or rock hard or just plain flavorless and bland. So when I started craving these I knew I had to find THE perfect recipe. I couldn't screw it up.
I googled my interest and all the recipes that came up were for the same recipe from Cook's Illustrated. And every one of the sites claimed that these were "the best" scones ever- a recipe that would not disappoint. And they didn't. My addition of the white chocolate chips (why not?) only made them better. They were light and fluffy and moist. The white chocolate added a bit of sweetness but it was subtle. The lemon zest resulted in a nice perfumey-ness and added a complex note to these scones. Not one flavor stood out over the other, the flavors meld together in perfect harmony. I'm posting this recipe now so you'll be prepared this weekend to make them. They're that awesome. This raspberry version looks great too!
Just a note before you start: It is important to work the dough as little as possible—work quickly and knead and fold the dough only the number of times called for. The butter should be frozen solid before grating. In hot or humid environments, chill the flour mixture and work bowls before use. While the recipe calls for 2 whole sticks of butter, only 10 tablespoons are actually used (see step 1). If fresh berries are unavailable, an equal amount of frozen berries (do not defrost) can be substituted. An equal amount of raspberries, blackberries, or strawberries can be used in place of the blueberries. Cut larger berries into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces before incorporating.
- 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, frozen whole (see note above)
- 1 1/2 cups (7 1/2 ounces) fresh blueberries (see note above)
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips (optional)
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 cups (10 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus additional for work surface
- 1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1. Adjust an oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Score and remove half of the wrapper from each stick of frozen butter. Grate the unwrapped ends on large holes of box grater (you should grate total of 8 tablespoons). Place grated butter in freezer until needed. Melt 2 tablespoons of remaining ungrated butter and set aside. Save remaining 6 tablespoons butter for another use. Place blueberries and white chocolate chips in freezer until needed.Whisk together milk and sour cream in medium bowl; refrigerate until needed.
3. Whisk the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest in medium bowl. Add frozen grated butter to flour mixture and toss with fingers until thoroughly coated. Fold in the chilled milk mixture with a spatula until just combined (do not overmix).
4. Turn the dough and any floury bits onto a well floured work surface. Lightly flour your hands and the dough and knead the dough gently 6-8 times until it just holds together in a ragged ball, adding additional flour as needed to prevent sticking.
5. Roll dough into approximate 12-inch square. Then fold dough into thirds like a business letter, using bench scraper or metal spatula to release dough if it sticks to counter top. Lift short ends of dough and fold into thirds again to form approximate 4-inch square. Transfer dough to plate lightly dusted with flour and chill in freezer 5 minutes.
6. Transfer dough to floured work surface and roll again into a 12-inch square. Sprinkle blueberries and white chocolate chips evenly over surface of dough, then press down so they are slightly embedded in dough. Using bench scraper or thin metal spatula, loosen dough from work surface. Roll up dough, pressing to form tight log, and pinch the seam closed. Lay seam-side down and press log into 12 by 4-inch rectangle. Using sharp, floured knife, cut rectangle crosswise into 4 equal rectangles. Cut each rectangle diagonally to form 2 triangles.
7. Transfer the scones to parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush tops with melted butter and sprinkle lightly with sugar. Bake until tops and bottoms are golden brown, 18 to 25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. Transfer to wire rack and let cool 10 minutes before serving.
*Refrigerate or freeze leftover scones, wrapped in foil, in an airtight container. To serve, remove foil and place scones on a baking sheet in a 375-degree oven. Heat until warmed through and recrisped, 8 to 10 minutes if refrigerated, 16 to 20 minutes if frozen.
To Make Ahead: After placing the scones on the baking sheet, either refrigerate them overnight or freeze. When ready to bake, for refrigerated scones, heat oven to 425 degrees and follow directions in step 7. For frozen scones, heat oven to 375 degrees, follow directions in step 7, and extend cooking time to 25 to 30 minutes.
