Black Pepper Cheddar Scones

I don’t know about you, but this weekend was full of ridiculously good food. Everything from grilled New York strips, the best Peking duck, Key Lime pie, cobbler, lemonade donuts and so much more.

It is going to take me at least a week to digest it all. And yet here I am, once again, sharing flaky black pepper cheddar scones. Forgive me.

Have you ever had a really dense heavy scone that sort of sticks to your stomach? Well these scones are the exact opposite of that.

They are ridiculously cheesy and rich. We’re using creme frâiche, heavy cream, butter, and lots of sharp grated cheddar cheese.

These scones are an adaptation from Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bakery cookbook. I reduced the prep time significantly, but as a warning, these scones are best prepared a day in advance. Alternatively factor in an additional hour or two for the scones to properly freeze before baking.

This step, though tedious and tempting to skip, helps prevent the scones from spreading in the oven and increases their flakiness.

Black Pepper Cheddar Scones

No ratings yet

Print Pin Review SaveSaved!

Yield: 12 Scones

Prep: 20 minutes minutes

Cook: 35 minutes minutes

Total: 55 minutes minutes

Flaky cheddar scones infused with lots of freshly ground black pepper. These scones are an adaptation from Thomas Keller's Bouchon Bakery cookbook. I reduced the prep time significantly, but as a warning, these scones are best prepared a day in advance. Alternatively factor in an additional hour or two for the scones to properly freeze before baking..

Ingredients

• ¾ cup + 1 teaspoon (107g) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1½ cups + 1½ teaspoons (196g) cake flour
• 1½ + ⅛ teaspoons (8g) baking powder 8.1 grams
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon (1g) ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons + ¾ teaspoon (27g) granulated sugar
• 1¼ teaspoons (4g) kosher salt
• 4½ ounces (135g) cold unsalted butter cut into ¼-inch cubes
• ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon (70g) heavy cream plus more for brushing
• ¼ cup + 2½ tablespoons (90g) creme fraiche
• 2½ cups (180g) grated sharp white cheddar cheese divided
• ¼ cup (10g) finely sliced scallions

Instructions 

• Place the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, black pepper, sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low speed for 10 to 15 seconds, or until thoroughly combined.
• Mix over low speed for 2 to 3 minutes, or until butter is incorporated into the flour and no large pieces remain.
• While mixer is running, slowly add the heavy cream. Add the creme fraiche and mix on low speed for 30 seconds, or until the dough begins to come together onto the paddle. Add 2 cups (144 grams) cheddar and chopped scallions and mix briefly to incorporate.
• Place the dough on a clean work surface, and using your hands and a pastry scraper, press the dough together. Line a large baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper. Place the dough between two layers of wax paper and roll out into 1-inch thickness. Using a 2½-inch diameter biscuit cutter, cut out the scones and transfer to the baking sheet (leaving space between). Press the scraps together gently, roll out gently, and continue to cut out until all of the dough has been used. Cover baking sheet with plastic wrap and transfer to the freezer. Freeze the scones until frozen solid (1 to 2 hours–or overnight, if preparing in advance).
• Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the center position. Brush the scones with heavy cream and sprinkle with the additional ½ cup of grated cheddar cheese. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Set on a cooling rack and cool completely. Serve immediately.

Recipe and method adapted from Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bakery.

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 203kcal, Carbohydrates: 2g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 54mg, Sodium: 438mg, Sugar: 1g

Author: Laura / A Beautiful Plate

Course: Biscuits and Pastries

Cuisine: American