Organic Valley Lactose Free Half and Half

I’ve made a variety of different scones, but I’m always up for another one and this time it’s a savory version.  Using fresh spinach is ideal.  It doesn’t get soggy and the deep green color makes these scones pop.  I love the complex, bold flavor that sharp cheddar adds to each bite.  Scones can be made on the fly which is a very good thing.  From the time you gather your ingredients, make the dough and bake the scones, you will have spent less than 1 hour of your time.  And, you will be rewarded with 8 large yummy scones.

I had a large jar of sun-dried tomatoes in the refrigerator so I added a few to the dough along with the spinach, cheddar and a few chopped chives.  I also baked some scones without the sun-dried tomatoes and chives and both versions are delicious.

For uniformity you can pat the dough into an 8-inch cake pan then invert it onto a parchment-lined cutting board before slicing it into wedges.  You can skip this step and form your own rustic round then slice the dough into wedges.

I love how the cheddar melts and makes lacy, crispy edges around the scones. These are best served warm when the cheese is still soft.  I regularly freeze mine and warm them up in the microwave for a snack.

This recipe is quite flexible.  You don’t necessarily need sun-dried tomatoes or chives.  The scones will still be so flavorful.  Just be sure to use a good sharp cheddar.

Spinach Cheddar & Sun-Dried Tomato Scones

 

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Author: Kiyo Miller

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• 3½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt (1¼ teaspoons if using unsalted butter)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• ½ cup cold Earth Balance Buttery Sticks (or regular unsalted butter) cut into small pieces
• 2 cups roughly chopped fresh spinach (not packed)
• 1 heaping cup sharp cheddar, diced small
• ⅓ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, drained (optional)
• 1 tablespoon chopped chives (optional)
• 1¼ cups Organic Valley lactose free half and half (or regular half and half) + more for brushing the tops of scones

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper. Line the bottom of an 8-inch cake pan with parchment paper, lightly butter or oil pan.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Cut the Buttery Sticks into the flour mixture using a pastry blender, fork, or your fingers, until the chunks of butter are the size of small peas. Place the bowl in the freezer for 5 minutes. This helps to firm up the Buttery Sticks which helps to create tender scones.
3. Remove the bowl from the freezer and stir in the spinach, sun-dried tomatoes and chives. Add the half and half and stir until the dough is moistened. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently form into a disk. Transfer the dough to an 8-inch cake pan (bottom lined with parchment paper and pan lightly oiled). Pat the dough gently to fit the pan. Invert the dough onto a lightly floured parchment lined cutting board, remove parchment round. Slice the dough into 8 wedges. Transfer the wedges to your half sheet pan. Brush the tops of the wedges with a bit of half and half. Bake for 11-12 minutes or until the scones are golden brown. Let scones cool on the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a rack to cool. Scones can be frozen.

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