Source: Ultra-Buttery Irish Scones by Genevieve Ko and Derrick P.
This recipe comes heavily modified by a friend to add cheese and spice. I have a tough time with the book folds and think these turn out taller than I want them to, but they're delicious.
Ingredients
- 1/3 c cold whole milk
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 Tbsp berbere
- 3 c all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 c (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, divided
- 1 c shredded cheddar (?)
- Chives, to taste
Procedure
Oven @ 400 F
- Preheat oven to 375. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Whisk milk, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl until sugar and salt dissolve. Cut 10 Tbsp butter into half-inch cubes, add to flour mixture, and bland with a pastry cutter or your fingertips until pea-sized pieces form with some larger chunks remaining. Add berbere and milk mixture and stir with a fork until large clumps form. Gently knead in the bowl until dough just comes together. Transfer to a lightly-floured work surface.
- With a lightly-floured rolling pin, roll out the dough to a 14x8 inch rectangle with the long side facing you. Heat Tbsp butter in a small, microwave-proof bowl in the microwave until softened but not melted, about 20 seconds. Spread evenly over the dough with fingertips. Grate a good quality cheddar over the entirety of the surface and press in with the butter. Snip chives over it. Fold up bottom third of dough over center, then fold down top third to meet bottom edge, as if folding a letter. Fold in half crosswise. Using a rolling pin, gently flatten into a 8x4 inch rectangle. Wrap in saran wrap and freeze 30 minutes.
- Take out of freezer. Roll out to quarter-inch thick. Do another envelope turn with butter, cheddar, and chives. Fold in half crosswise. Using a rolling pin, gently flatten into a 8x4 inch rectangle. Cut dough in half lengthwise, and in quarters crosswise to form 8 even squares. Transfer to prepared pan, spacing 2 inches apart. Sprinkle tops lightly with flaky sea salt.
- Bake until scones are golden brown, 20-30 minutes. Watch like a hawk! Meanwhile, melt remaining 4 Tbsp butter in small saucepan over medium-low heat. When butter buttles, remove from heat and skim off foam from the surface. As soon as the scones come out of the oven, lightly brush tops with clarified butter, leaving behind white solids in bottom of saucepan. Cool scones on sheet on a wire rack and serve hot, warm, or room temperature.