A scone for your holiday table

Story and Photos by Madeleine Dee

BROCCOLI-BACON-CHEDDAR SCONES Yields 8 portions

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 3/4 tsp. salt* (See note)

• 1 tbsp. baking powder

• 2 tsp. granulated sugar

• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, chilled and cubed into 16-20 pieces

• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

• 1 cup finely-chopped broccoli

• Generous 1/2 cup thinly-sliced scallions

• 1/2 cup bacon, cooked and crumbled

• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream, plus extra for brushing the tops

Note: 3/4 of a tsp. of salt yields a well-seasoned scone. If you are watching your sodium, you can use 1/2 tsp., and if you want scones that taste extra amazing, you can use 1 whole tsp.

• Parchment paper

Madeleine Dee (AKA The Seasoned Cynic) is a chef, writer, actress, world traveler, and filmmaker who lives in Louisville. Watch her cooking show, Easy Elegance, on YouTube! Instagram: @TheSeasonedCynic ~ Website: TheSeasonedCynic.com 56 December 2020 / TodaysWomanNow.com

1. Heat your oven to 425°F.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar.

3. Use your hands to crumb the butter cubes into the dry ingredients. Be sure to leave some larger chunks because these are the magic wands that make the scones puff up!

4. Mix the cheese, broccoli, scallions, and bacon into the bowl until everything is evenly coated in the flour mixture.

5. Pour the 1 1/4 cups of cream into the bowl and use a big spoon or rubber spatula to gently combine all the ingredients, making sure to scoop up the crumbs that fall to the bottom of the bowl. Press the dough together into a smooth mass, being sure not to overmix, and transfer it to a heavily-floured surface. Do NOT sprinkle any flour over the top! Use your hands to shape a thick, even disk that’s about 7-8 inches wide and carefully transfer it to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, tapping off excess flour from the bottom as you go.

6. Use a bench scraper or sharp knife to portion the dough into 8 equal wedges, then pull each one back a bit so there’s space between all of them. Doing this gives the scones space to puff up and out. It also keeps portioning easy. Brush the tops with a thin layer of cream for a beautiful, crispy crust.

7. Bake on the center rack for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove immediately from the oven and cool for 5-10 minutes before enjoying warm.

These reheat nicely and freeze well, but let’s be honest — there won’t be any leftovers. Enjoy!

Additional note: You can use buttermilk instead of heavy cream for a healthier scone, but using all buttermilk will yield a very sticky dough that requires extra flour and isn’t as fluffy or as moist. If you want to incorporate buttermilk, it would be ideal to sub it for 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the cream. The best scones, however, are ones made with all cream!