Chocolate Chip Cream Scones With Orange Zest

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

I had not realized how addicted I was to Acme Bread Company's baked goods until we left Berkeley last June. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks.

My addiction began not long after Will was born. We began walking around our neighborhood more or less constantly as a way to cope with our rather fussy little guy. We got in the habit of bjorning or strolling him over to Monterey Market - a pleasant, 10-minute walk from our house -  where we'd load up on cheap, locally-grown organic veggies and fruits and fill a bag with Acme's delicious, freshly-baked, organic pastries.

Chocolate Chip Cream Scones With Orange Zest by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog, copyright 2011

My favorite was the pain au chocolat, followed closely by the cinnamon morning buns.  One of these sugary little gems graced my plate almost every morning - a delicious bright spot in the dark haze of baby-induced sleep deprivation.

Until we moved back to the east coast. It's not that they don't have pastries here. They do. But they're a lot more expensive, a bit farther away, and, I'm sorry to say, not as tasty. So I did what any serious addict would do. I began baking my own breakfast goodies. Hence all the scone and quick bread recipes I've posted this year.

Zesting the orange by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog, copyright 2011

Of all the scones I bake, these are my favorite. Not only are they the quickest and easiest, they also contain chocolate. It's a win-win. 

Chocolate Chip Cream Scones With Orange Zest by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog, copyright 2011

Cream scones are so simple -- no egg, no butter -- heavy cream provides all the fat and moisture you need.

Chocolate Chip Cream Scones With Orange Zest About To Go Into The Oven by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog, copyright 2011

It only takes a few minutes to get a batch of these in the oven and by the time you're finished cleaning up, the scones are ready!

Time to clean up after making scones by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog, copyright 2011

Sometimes I add the orange zest for a little extra flavor and sometimes I leave it out for a more classic approach -- they're delicious either way.

Chocolate Chip Cream Scones With Orange Zest by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog, copyright 2011

This recipe is from the good old Joy of Cooking.

Chocolate Chip Cream Scones
Makes 8 large or 12 small scones

Ingredients

* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/3 cup sugar
* 1 Tbsp baking powder
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 1 1/4 cups heavy cream (use organic)
* 1/2 cup chocolate chips
* 1 tsp grated orange zest (optional - if you add this, use an organic orange)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Position a rack in the center of the oven. Have ready a large ungreased baking sheet.

2. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the chocolate chips (you can substitute currants if you prefer them to chocolate), then add the heavy cream and orange zest.

3. Mix with a wooden spoon or fork until the dry ingredients are moistened. Gather the dough into a ball and knead it gently against the sides and bottom of the bowl 5 to 10 times, turning and pressing any loose pieces into the dough each time until they adhere and the bowl is fairly clean.

4. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and pat the dough into an 8-inch round about 3/4 inch thick. Cut into 8 or 12 wedges and place at least 1/2 inch apart on the baking sheet. Brush the tops with 2 to 3 teaspoons cream or milk. If you're feeling really decadent, sprinkle the tops with a little cinnamon and sugar.

5. Bake until the tops are golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack or serve warm.

You might also like:

6 comments:

Unknown said...

I love your photo of the orange with the zester - it's just brilliant!

PS. Scones are great - I have to admit though I'm not so good at the baking.

Erin, Oakland, CA said...

These look amazing- I will have to try these for weekend brunch soon.

Beth Lowe said...

Eve, I made these yesterday morning for my significant other's birthday breakfast. They were absolutely delicious and a huge hit. He was so pleased that I made him fresh scones. They were a breeze to make, too, just like you said. Thanks so much for posting your wonderful recipes! I'll definitely be making these again.

Eve Fox said...

so glad to hear it!

Piper Stege said...

I know that this recipe is 13 years old, but I have made these scones dozens of times in multiple ways - cheese and bacon and chives; dried cherries and pecans; dried apricot and white chocolate. And every time it is amazing. I have made these in multiple states, multiple countries - they just are always good. Thank you for a decade of wins!

Eve Fox said...

How lovely to hear, Piper! Thank you so much. I love your idea for a savory version. Gotta try that!

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Chocolate Chip Cream Scones With Orange Zest

I had not realized how addicted I was to Acme Bread Company's baked goods until we left Berkeley last June. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks.

My addiction began not long after Will was born. We began walking around our neighborhood more or less constantly as a way to cope with our rather fussy little guy. We got in the habit of bjorning or strolling him over to Monterey Market - a pleasant, 10-minute walk from our house -  where we'd load up on cheap, locally-grown organic veggies and fruits and fill a bag with Acme's delicious, freshly-baked, organic pastries.

Chocolate Chip Cream Scones With Orange Zest by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog, copyright 2011

My favorite was the pain au chocolat, followed closely by the cinnamon morning buns.  One of these sugary little gems graced my plate almost every morning - a delicious bright spot in the dark haze of baby-induced sleep deprivation.

Until we moved back to the east coast. It's not that they don't have pastries here. They do. But they're a lot more expensive, a bit farther away, and, I'm sorry to say, not as tasty. So I did what any serious addict would do. I began baking my own breakfast goodies. Hence all the scone and quick bread recipes I've posted this year.

Zesting the orange by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog, copyright 2011

Of all the scones I bake, these are my favorite. Not only are they the quickest and easiest, they also contain chocolate. It's a win-win. 

Chocolate Chip Cream Scones With Orange Zest by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog, copyright 2011

Cream scones are so simple -- no egg, no butter -- heavy cream provides all the fat and moisture you need.

Chocolate Chip Cream Scones With Orange Zest About To Go Into The Oven by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog, copyright 2011

It only takes a few minutes to get a batch of these in the oven and by the time you're finished cleaning up, the scones are ready!

Time to clean up after making scones by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog, copyright 2011

Sometimes I add the orange zest for a little extra flavor and sometimes I leave it out for a more classic approach -- they're delicious either way.

Chocolate Chip Cream Scones With Orange Zest by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog, copyright 2011

This recipe is from the good old Joy of Cooking.

Chocolate Chip Cream Scones
Makes 8 large or 12 small scones

Ingredients

* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/3 cup sugar
* 1 Tbsp baking powder
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 1 1/4 cups heavy cream (use organic)
* 1/2 cup chocolate chips
* 1 tsp grated orange zest (optional - if you add this, use an organic orange)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Position a rack in the center of the oven. Have ready a large ungreased baking sheet.

2. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the chocolate chips (you can substitute currants if you prefer them to chocolate), then add the heavy cream and orange zest.

3. Mix with a wooden spoon or fork until the dry ingredients are moistened. Gather the dough into a ball and knead it gently against the sides and bottom of the bowl 5 to 10 times, turning and pressing any loose pieces into the dough each time until they adhere and the bowl is fairly clean.

4. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and pat the dough into an 8-inch round about 3/4 inch thick. Cut into 8 or 12 wedges and place at least 1/2 inch apart on the baking sheet. Brush the tops with 2 to 3 teaspoons cream or milk. If you're feeling really decadent, sprinkle the tops with a little cinnamon and sugar.

5. Bake until the tops are golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack or serve warm.

You might also like:

6 comments:

Unknown said...

I love your photo of the orange with the zester - it's just brilliant!

PS. Scones are great - I have to admit though I'm not so good at the baking.

Erin, Oakland, CA said...

These look amazing- I will have to try these for weekend brunch soon.

Beth Lowe said...

Eve, I made these yesterday morning for my significant other's birthday breakfast. They were absolutely delicious and a huge hit. He was so pleased that I made him fresh scones. They were a breeze to make, too, just like you said. Thanks so much for posting your wonderful recipes! I'll definitely be making these again.

Eve Fox said...

so glad to hear it!

Piper Stege said...

I know that this recipe is 13 years old, but I have made these scones dozens of times in multiple ways - cheese and bacon and chives; dried cherries and pecans; dried apricot and white chocolate. And every time it is amazing. I have made these in multiple states, multiple countries - they just are always good. Thank you for a decade of wins!

Eve Fox said...

How lovely to hear, Piper! Thank you so much. I love your idea for a savory version. Gotta try that!