Cheddar scones

Tonight's dinner plan is cream of broccoli soup (actually requested by one seven-year-old as Something He's Willing to Try).  But hey, I wasn't born yesterday.  The odds of everyone eating their fill of just soup are not good.  A certain two-year-old likes soup--but only for splashing.  So I need a little something to round out the meal. 

Enter the scone.

Here's the recipe for this savory version:  2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup whole wheat flour, 1 T. baking powder, 1/2 tsp. baking soda, 1 tsp. salt, 6 T. room temperature butter, 1 cup shredded cheddar, 1 egg, 1 cup buttermilk.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.  Whisk the dry ingredients together.  Cut the butter into the flour mixture with a pastry blender, or just use your fingers to rub it in until the mixture looks like bread crumbs.  Stir in the cheddar.

Cutting in the butter

Looks like bread crumbs!

Beat the egg and buttermilk together and pour into the flour mixture.  Stir together until it just starts to stick together.  Then use your hands to squish and gently knead the dough into a ball.

Getting sticky...

All together now!

Divide the dough in half, press each half into a disc about 1/2" thick, and cut into wedges.  Transfer the scones to a baking sheet, turn the oven down to 450 degrees F., and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.

Since I made these early in the afternoon, I underbaked them by a couple minutes so I can reheat them in the oven this evening.  You can adjust this recipe very slightly for sweet scones:  reduce the salt to 1/2 tsp., add 2-4 T. sugar, and omit the cheddar or replace it with something else (raisins, chocolate chips, dried fruit of any kind, cinnamon chips...)

Try it!