Description
These Calabrian Chili Pecorino Honey Scones hit all of the flavor highs. Smoky, spicy and vibrantly fruity Calabrian chilies pair up with the nuttiness of salty Pecorino cheese to give the tender and crumbly scones big, bold flavor. A honey glaze brings it together with a sweet finish.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold & cut into 1/4" cubes
- 1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup Pecorino cheese, finely grated
- 2 tablespoons chopped Calabrian chili peppers or Calabrian chili paste
- 4 tablespoons honey
Instructions
Measure the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and black pepper into a large bowl and whisk to combine.
Use your hands, a pastry cutter or the paddle attachment of the stand mixer on low speed to blend the cold, cubed butter into the dry ingredients until the pieces of butter are the size of small peas.
Add the grated pecorino cheese, reserving a couple of tablespoons to sprinkle over the top. Blend in just until evenly distributed.
Whisk the eggs, buttermilk and Calabrian chilies together. Add to the dry ingredients and use a fork to gently mix the wet ingredients into the dry, until the dough just comes together. The dough should look scrappy and rough at this point.
Scrape the scone dough from the bottom and sides of the bowl to incorporate floury scraps then transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface, it should come out as mostly one big chunk with some scrappy bits.
Gather the dough ball and bits and pat until it just comes together. The top should be chunky and rough, this ensures the crumbly character of the baked scones. Gently form the dough into two 4"-5" disks for smaller scones or one 7"-8" disk for larger scones.
Top the scone disk(s) with the remaining Pecorino cheese. Place on a lined baking sheet in the refrigerator or freezer to chill the dough for 15-20 minutes while the oven preheats. *This will help the scones hold their structure and prevent them from falling and spreading too much in the oven.
Preheat oven to 375°F while the dough chills.
Remove the dough disk(s) and cut the disk(s) into 6 wedges. Place the wedges, evenly spaced, on parchment or silicone mat lined baking sheets.
Bake the small scones for 20-25 minutes or large scones for 25-30 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time. The scones should come out a warm with a golden glow topped in bubbly melty cheese bits and some deep golden coloring on the edges, giving that crumbly crust to the exterior.
In a microwave safe bowl, warm the honey for a few seconds until it thins out and becomes runny. Drizzle the honey over the warm scones as soon as they come out of the oven.
Allow the scones to cool for at least 10 minutes and enjoy!
Notes
You can freeze the dough and save for later. Once the scones have been sliced into wedges and firmed up in the fridge or freezer, transfer them to a freezer proof container or bag and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen, a few additional minutes in the oven may be required, and enjoy fresh baked scones anytime the craving calls!
These scones will last 3 days when stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes