Sourdough Chocolate Chip Scones

I recently had some really delicious scones at a restaurant—rich, buttery, and hard to forget. So, when I came across this recipe, I figured it was worth trying. I’m glad I did, because these turned out great. If you’re in the mood for a light, flaky scone with a crisp edge and a touch of sweetness inside, these are definitely worth making.  For a variety, you can use any flavor of chips or caramel/toffee bits and even nuts. This recipe is a great way to use some of your sourdough starter!

Read the tips below before beginning this recipe.

250 grams all-purpose flour (about 1 3/4 cups)

100 gram sugar (1/2 cup)

10 grams baking powder (2 1/2 tsp)

3 grams salt (1/2 tsp)

113 grams unsalted butter, frozen (1/2 cup)

175 grams chocolate chips or chocolate chunks (1 cup)

120 grams sourdough discard, cold (1/2 cup)

1 egg, cold (about 62 grams)

8 grams vanilla extract (2 tsp)

45 grams heavy cream, cold (3 TBS) plus more for topping

coarse sugar (optional)

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Whisk together until incorporated.

Grate the cold/frozen butter and add to the flour mixture.  Mix with your fingers until the small pieces of butter are coated with flour.

Next, sprinkle in the chocolate chips or chunks and mix until incorporated.  Set aside.

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the sourdough discard, egg, vanilla and heavy cream until smooth.

Pour the wet ingredients evenly on top of the butter mixture.  Mix the scone dough with a rubber spatula until the cream mixture is combined.  The dough will be crumbly with some bits of dry flour.  Be careful not to over mix the dough.  The flour will be incorporated in the next step.

Turn out the mixture onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a rectangle.  Then, with a bench scraper, fold the dough in half, then press down to create the large rectangle again.  Repeat this 3 to 4 times.  Folding the dough helps to create all of those beautiful flaky layers.

With your hands, form the dough into an 8" disc.  Cut the soft dough into 8 equal wedges with a bench scraper or a large knife.  Be careful not to slide the bench scraper when cutting the scones.  This will close off the dough, which prevents the scones from getting the flaky layers.  Simply press straight down and pull straight up.

Place the unbaked scones on a prepared baking sheet with parchment paper with space in between them.  Cover and chill them in the fridge for at least 15 minutes while the oven preheats. 

To long-ferment (for easier digestibility)- Store the covered scones in the fridge overnight up to 24 hours and bake them the following day.

Preheat the oven to 400F.

With a pastry brush, top the scones with more heavy whipping cream and sprinkle on a layer of course sugar, if desired.

Bake the scones for 17-20 minutes, or until the top of the scones are lightly golden brown.

Remove and place on a wire rack to cool slightly.  Enjoy!

**Tip:  I prefer using sourdough discard that is no longer than a few days old for sweet recipes like these scones.  However, you can also use active sourdough starter as well, just make sure to measure by grams instead of volume.  Using COLD discard is also another helpful trick to keep your butter cold.

**Freezing Tips: 

Freeze before baking-To freeze unbaked scones, shape the dough into wedges and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Freeze them for 1 to 2 hours until solid, then transfer them to a Ziploc freezer bag or container.  When ready to bake, place the frozen scones on a baking sheet, brush them with heavy cream and bake as directed, adding 2 to 3 extra minutes to the baking time.

Freeze after baking-If you want to freeze baked scones, let them cool completely first.  Wrap each scone individually in plastic wrap and store them in a Ziploc freezer bag.  When ready to eat, thaw them at room temperature or warm them i a 300F oven for about 10 minutes.

Makes 8 scones

Source:  Simplicity and a Starter

Cindy