Sourdough Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Scones

Welcome to Scone Sunday! This is my first post in a new series called Scone Sunday, in which I'll share a fresh scone recipe every Sunday. I love making scones. My family really enjoys them; they're quick and easy, and it's been so fun coming up with new flavors and combinations. This week I made browned butter chocolate chip scones. I love the flavor of browned butter. It's warm and nutty and adds a depth to the flavor in any recipe. 

Scones require the butter to be cut in like pastry, so once browned, chill the butter in the fridge for about an hour before proceeding with the remainder of the preparation. Once the butter has chilled, the dough comes together in about 15 minutes. Flatten the dough into a circle, about one inch thick, and cut it into eight wedges. Place the wedges on a baking sheet. You can bake these right away, or let them chill in the fridge overnight and have a fresh, warm scone with breakfast the next day! Give these a try and let me know what you think!

SOURDOUGH BROWNED BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP SCONES

PREP TIME: 20 minutes (plus chilling butter) COOK TIME: 20 minutes TOTAL TIME: 40 minutes (plus chilling) YIELD: 8 scones

INGREDIENTS

• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 10 tablespoons butter, browned and chilled
• ½ cup chocolate chips
• ½ cup sourdough discard
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream, plus more for brushing

INSTRUCTIONS

1. To brown the butter, place it in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Cook until it stops sputtering, turns foamy, and develops browned bits on the bottom. Transfer to a heatproof bowl and chill in the refrigerator until firm, about 1 hour.
2. If baking right away, preheat the oven to 400°F.
3. In a food processor, add the flour, baking powder, salt, and both sugars. Pulse a few times to combine.
4. Cut the chilled browned butter into cubes and add it to the food processor. Pulse until the butter is broken into small, pea-sized pieces. Remove the blade and flatten any large butter pieces between your fingers.
5. Stir the chocolate chips into the dry mixture with a spatula.
6. In a large bowl, whisk together the sourdough discard, egg, vanilla, and heavy cream.
7. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold gently with a rubber spatula. When the dough becomes difficult to mix, turn it out onto the counter and finish bringing it together by hand.
8. Shape the dough into a circle about 1 inch thick. Cut into 8 wedges and arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
9. Bake immediately, or cover and refrigerate overnight for best texture.
10. When ready to bake, brush the tops with heavy cream and bake at 400°F for 20 minutes.
11. Allow the scones to cool for a few minutes before serving.