Ingredients
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups flour + 3/4 cup
1 tbsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
6 tbsp chopped chilled butter
1/2 cup cold milk
1 tbsp vanilla
1 cup dark morello cherries
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions
Combine sugar, 2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt.
Using a fork, incorporate the butter by pressing/scraping the butter into the dry mix. Don't use your hands to squish the butter, you body heat will melt it.
When butter is in small pieces and evenly distributed throughout the dry mix, mix in the milk and vanilla.
You may use your hands to bring the dough together quickly, then freeze the dough for 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 450 F.
Drain 1 cup of morello cherries from their syrup and try to get all excess liquid out of them.
Incorporate cherries and chocolate chips into the dough. Start with a fork or mixing utensil, then use your hands sparingly to fully incorporate the cherries and chocolate.
If the cherries released enough liquid to change the texture of the dough, add the remaining flour slowly to achieve the right dough. Your dough shouldn't be sticky.
Place your dough on a baking sheet and roll it out into a flat circle with an 8 in diameter. Cut your dough into 8 slices, like a pizza, and separate the slices to give them space to grow in the oven.
Bake for 18 minutes. If you want your scones to be drier and more crumbly, cover with tinfoil and bake for another 5-10 minutes.
Tips
What is the "black forest" flavor?
The black forest is a region in Germany that inspired the Grimm fairy tales and the cuckoo clock. The black forest gâteau (cake) was also born there. A black forest cake consists of a layered chocolate sponge cake with whipped cream and cherries. There are many different styles and variations, but the chocolate and cherry combo is a classic.
What are morello cherries and where do I get them?
Morello cherries are a sour variety of cherry usually used for baking. I got my cherries at Trader Joes, but some other stores may carry them. The cherries come in a jar, soaked in syrup. The syrup needs to be drained as much as possible from the cherries, but you can use it to make an icing. If you can't find morello cherries, you could try using fresh cherries or even maraschino cherries.
Baking
Scones are usually quite dry and crumbly. Usually too dry and crumbly for my liking. These scones aren't dry or crumbly if you bake them for only 18 minutes. Some people might say that these aren't truly scones, then. To be honest, I don't care. I'm calling them scones. If you want your scones to be more dry and crumbly, cover them with tinfoil after 18 minutes and bake for longer. Also, depending on how much liquid your cherries release, your batter may be more or less wet than mine. A drier batter will produce a drier scone, so keep that in mind.
Calories
Baked goods are often high in sugar, fat, and carbs. As someone who bakes often, I have to watch how much I eat. I love to eat. I do. I also love to have a healthy body. That being said, I appreciate when a recipe states a calorie count. So I've decided to provide that for you.
Total calories in the scones: 2,958
Because I made 8 scones, each scone is 369 calories. This does not include the icing, because you probably won't need all of it. Also, keep in mind the extra flour used after adding the cherries, because you may use a different amount than I did. Eat in moderation!
Pics!
I think that this is a fun and different bake. You can always deviate from the black forest path and use your own flavors. You can try blueberries, nuts, orange/lemon zest, or cranberries just to name a few possibilities. I stored these in a tin and had one for breakfast in the morning.
Love,
Rachel