Recipe

September 26, 2019

Savory Scones

Recipe: Elisabeth Prueitt and Chad Robertson

Try this Savory Scones recipe from the cookbook Tartine: A Classic Revised.

Tartine cookbookScone dough works really well as a vehicle for savory ingredients, especially highly flavored, lower moisture ones such as Gruyère and other firm cheeses, chopped chives, sautéed mushrooms, bacon, and ham. Spanish pimentón or fresh herbs make really good additions as well. As with sweet scones, use a very light hand when mixing, and you’ll be rewarded with a light, flaky scone.

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups (275 g) pastry flour, sifted
  • 2 cups + 2 tbsp (275 g) bread flour, sifted
  • 1 tbsp + 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
  • 11 tbsp (155 g) unsalted butter, cold
  • 3 tbsp + 1 tsp (50 g) bacon fat, chilled
  • 1 2/3 cups (400 mL) buttermilk, chilled
  • 6 slices (160 g) bacon, cooked and chopped (reserving the fat, see above)
  • 1 1/2 cups (160 g) grated Gruyère cheese
  • 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp (175 g) fromage blanc
  • 5 tbsp (7 tbsp) chives, finely chopped

Topping

  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon

Directions

Yield: 12 scones

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C’). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick liner. If using parchment paper, have a second sheet available.
  2. To make the dough, sift the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pepper into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cut the butter into 1⁄2-inch (12 mm) cubes and scatter the cubes over the dry ingredients. On low speed, pulse the butter and chilled bacon fat into the dry ingredients, keeping a close eye on the mixture, so that you don’t break down the butter too much. You want to end up with a coarse mixture with pea-size lumps of butter visible. Add the buttermilk all at once and stir on low speed for 5 seconds. Stop the mixer and, using your hands or a spatula, pull all the dry ingredients that have not yet been incorporated up to the top. Stir again on low speed for another 5 seconds. Repeat this process once more, or until all the dry ingredients are incorporated and the mixture looks hydrated, but not fully combined. Using a spatula, scrape the dough into a large mixing bowl. Add the bacon, Gruyère, fromage blanc and chives, and knead by hand to incorporate all of the mix-ins.
  3. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet and shape the dough by hand into a rectangle about 2 1⁄2 inches (6 cm) high. Freeze the dough, on the baking sheet, for about 20 minutes to thoroughly chill it. Dust your work surface with flour, and turn the dough out onto it. Cut the dough into twelve equal portions. Line the baking sheet with a fresh sheet of parchment paper, and transfer the scones to it. Brush the scones with the beaten egg, and sprinkle with the flaky sea salt.
  4. Bake the scones until the tops are golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
  5. Scones are best the day they are baked, but can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat or toast before serving.
Source:

Excerpted from Tartine: Revised Edition (C) 2019 by Elisabeth M. Prueitt and Chad Robertson. Photographs by Gentl + Hyers. Reproduced by permission of Chronicle Books. All rights reserved.