A few weeks ago I saw a recipe on pinterest for Apple Cheddar Scones. I was immediately intrigued because the apple and cheddar combination has fascinated me for the last few years. I’ve only ever eaten them raw together, but I’ve always been curious about putting them together in a pie or something. A scone seemed odd at first, but the idea started growing on me. The next day I heard someone on the radio talking about the fresh apple cheddar scones a friend made for her and how delicious they were. That sealed the deal – I had to make them! The only problem was figuring out when. I bought the ingredients and just let them sit while I waited for the opportune time. Last Friday turned out to be it. I was having a really bad day, so at 9:00 at night I decided I was going to do something for myself and make some scones!
I think the main thing that was scaring me away from this recipe is that it needs to be made in two parts. That just seemed like too much work. But in reality, it was pretty dang simple. All you need to do to start is heat the oven to 375 degrees, then peel and core two tart apples into about 15 chunks each. Line them up on a parchment covered baking sheet and bake for twenty minutes.
This is what they should look like when they come out. They’re about halfway cooked at this point. Now you can either let them sit until they’re cooled or pop them in the fridge to speed up the process. That’s what I decided to do. I was hungry.
Next you need to whisk together 1 1/2 cups of flour, 1/4 cup of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 tablespoon of baking powder in a small bowl. In your mixing bowl add 6 tablespoons of cubed chilled butter, 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup heavy cream, and one egg. Slowly mix in the dry ingredients until the dough just comes together. Then you pat your dough into a round disc and cut it into six slices. I have an actual scone pan that I would normally use, but I wanted to make this batch look a little more rustic and do it the “old fashioned” way.
Next you divide the scones and place them back on the same parchment lined baking sheet (with new parchment if you choose, but I saw no need to be wasteful with a second sheet). Then whisk an egg together with a pinch of salt until it’s thoroughly mixed. Generously brush it over the top and sides of scones. The original recipe then suggested sprinkling sugar over the top of the scones. This is the one part that I really did not like on the finished product. The sugar just didn’t taste right with the savory-ness of the cheddar and apples. But you can try it if you like. I just don’t suggest it. I liked the slightly salty flavor a lot better.
Finally, bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. I was so busy watching White Collar (my latest tv obsession) that I didn’t even get up to check the scones while they were baking. I’m glad I didn’t because I probably would have taken them out before they reached this golden brown color, which seemed a little too dark at first. But they were perfect! The dark parts tasted the best. Next time I might even leave them in a little longer!
Overall, I thought these scones were fantastic, though they definitely should be eaten right away. Not the greatest idea to make six of them when you’re going to be the only one eating them at 10:00 at night. I ate two right away, even though I wasn’t that hungry after the first. They still tasted okay the next morning, but nothing is as good when it’s not straight from the oven! I’m thinking about toying with this recipe some more on my next batch. I might add 1 cup of cheddar to give it more zing. Or I might skip the apples all together and add jalapenos instead. I’ve never made a totally savory scone before, but I’d probably love it. Anyway, enjoy this recipe as it is – it’s worth the two step baking process!
Apple Cheddar Scones
2 firm apples, peeled and chunked
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tbs baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
6 tbs butter, chilled and cubed
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 egg for batter
1 egg for egg wash
Pinch of salt for egg wash
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Peel and chunk apples and line up on parchment paper. Bake for 20 minutes. Leave oven on and let apples cool on the counter or in the fridge if you’re in a hurry.
2. Mix dry ingredients in a small bowl. Mix apples, butter, cream, egg, and cheese in a mixing bowl. Slowly add dry ingredients until just blended. Pat into a round flat disc and cut into six scones.
3. Separate scones and place on baking sheet. Make an egg wash with one whisked egg and a pinch of salt. Generously brush egg wash over the top and sides of scones. Bake for 30 minutes. Enjoy!
