Cheddar and Apple Scones

When I read The Smitten Kitchen’s recipe for apple and cheddar scones, I knew I had to try this gorgeous fall recipe. Last month I did, with Tillamook cheddar and Gala apples. They were wonderful, but they weren’t quite perfect. So for a couple of weeks in a row I tried again, picking my favorite elements from Deb’s recipe in my quest to produce the perfect Apple and Cheddar Scones. I found it at last, with a riff off King Arthur Flour’s scones recipe. These scones are tender, flaky, and delicious, with a perfect mixture of sweet and savory.

Roasting the apples adds a little time, but it’s mostly a hands-off process--perfect for a Saturday studying at home. Peel and slice the apples on your study break, pop them into the oven while you go back to the books, and then take another quick break to assemble the scones themselves. At the end of an hour or two you’ve not only read several chapters on Church and State in American History, but you’ve got glorious scones to snack on while you study for the rest of the day!

Apple and Cheddar Scones

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into pats
2 large eggs
1/2 cup to 2/3 cup milk, or 1/2 cup milk and 2 Tbsp apple cider
1/2 cup to 3/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
3 Granny Smith or other sweet-tart apples, peeled and sliced thickly
1/4 tsp thyme
1 egg, beaten
Coarse raw sugar, for sprinkling

Instructions
Heat oven to 400°F. Peel, core, and slice apples and spread on parchment paper on a baking sheet. Roast for 25 - 30 minutes, until apples are starting to brown at the edges and are dry to the touch. Eat a few and let the rest cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. (You can also do this a day or two in advance; simply seal the cooled apples in a sandwich bag or other airtight container and keep until ready to make the scones.)

Combine flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Cut in butter using the paddle attachment of a stand mixer, a pastry blender, or two knives; alternatively, pulse ingredients in a food processor until butter chunks are no larger than pea-sized. In another bowl, combine eggs, milk, cider, roasted apple slices, cheddar cheese, and thyme. Add liquid ingredients to dry and mix until just barely combined.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a large, thick round about 1/2 inch thick. Using an overturned glass, cut out circles of dough and transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Carefully fold leftover dough together and shape into a circle; cut into quarters. (Alternatively, you can shape the dough into two circles 6” in diameter and slice into sixths. Either way you’ll get about 12 scones).

Brush tops with beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse raw sugar. Chill in refrigerator or freezer at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat oven to 475°F. Bake scones for about 20 - 25 minutes, until tops are firm and golden-brown. Transfer to a wire rack and cool briefly before serving. These scones are best on the day they’re baked but will keep for a few days in an airtight container.



Note: Chilling the dough is the vital step in the perfection of these scones. It will contribute to a high rise and limited spreading, meaning your scones will be tall, flaky, gorgeous--and delicious! You can even freeze the dough and just cook one or two at a time, though you’ll need to increase the cooking time to compensate.