Checkmate. Game over. I own your pawns. Your king is crying. I took your queen, covered her in butter, and baked her into the best biscuit to ever exist in the world (alongside these Caramelized Mushroom and Onion Biscuits). Aaaand that’s all I know about chess. I’m spent.
This weekend was heavy on the brain and on the heart. Really, the only thing I wanted to do was pray, binge on a Jersey Shore marathon, and eat boxed macaroni and cheese. If those three things sound at odds with one another… well, they are… and I’ll accept your judgements and criticism.
During this weekend’s trip to the coffee shop I spied a little feta and chive scone in the pastry case. What? More carbs!? Gimme. It was love at first sight… and I was positive I could make a better home version (and then eat two-five scones fresh out of the oven).
Sunday morning, with the flavor combination still on my mind, I whipped up my own scones. I brewed up a pot of coffee while the scones were in the oven and, um… these scones blew me away. Fragrant, salty, and so tender I almost cried in my coffee (ok… I totally cried in my coffee). Comfort carbs. Thank you.
We are no strangers to buttery scones around these parts. We’ve done this before.
Sometimes I call them biscuits. Sometimes I call them scones. My allegiance lies, not in their name, but in their buttery goodness.
Cold butter is combined with flour, a little bit of sugar, leavening, salt, and coarse black pepper. This time we’re using cold sour cream instead of buttermilk. The sour cream makes for beautifully tender (like…. blow-your-mind, whaaat!?) scones.
Cold butter is broken up into the dry ingredients. I do this with my fingers though you can use a pastry brush if you don’t like getting your hands dirty. I get it. No biggie.
We’re going to add an egg with a few splashes of water along with our sour cream. The mixture will come together into a shaggy dough.
Heaps of chunky sheep’s milk feta cheese and chopped chives are added. Good things follow!
Shaggy is good. Aggressive use of cheese and chives are better.
Making scones on a rainy day makes them taste better. It’s not a proven fact, but I’m willing to bake and bake, and taste and taste to really get to the bottom of this.
These might look like they’re ready for the oven but ooooh no. Enough is never enough.
Before baking, we top the biscuits with a bit of egg wash, coarse sea salt, fresh cracked black pepper, and my happy happy secret weapon: smoky paprika.
All of these little flavors take these scones over the top FOR REAL!
Don’t you just want to pick these up, peel them apart, and shove them in your mouth? Answer: (enthusiastic) YES!
This picture should be evidence enough. These scones are tender and flakey! The flavor of onions is fragrant and savory. The feta cheese is salty and super alluring. I also love the added flavor of the smokey paprika on top. These scones are everything they need to be, and the perfect companion to hot hot coffee. I love you. Eat carbs like you know what’s up.
Feta and Chive Sour Cream Scones
makes about 12 small scones
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoons sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
3/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
1 egg, beaten
3 tablespoons cold water
3/4 cup sour cream, cold
1/3 cup chopped chives
3/4 cup big crumbles of feta cheese
1 egg beaten for egg wash
coarse sea salt, cracked black pepper, and smoky paprika for topping
Place rack in the center and upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and black pepper. Cut in butter (using your fingers or a pastry cutter) until mixture resembles a coarse meal. In another bowl, combine egg, sour cream, and water. Beat lightly with a fork. Add to flour mixture all at once, stirring enough to make a soft and shaggy dough. Add the chives and feta and dump mixture on a clean counter to knead the dough together. The mixture will come together in about 10 to 15 kneads.
Roll or pat out into a 1-inch thickness. Cut into 2-inch rounds using a biscuit cutter or cut into 2×2-inch squares. Reshape and roll dough to create more biscuits with excess scraps. Place on prepared baking sheet, brush with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sea salt, black pepper, and smoky paprika. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Serve warm. These biscuits are best eaten the day they’re made, but will last up to 2 days.
