Double Chocolate Cherry Scones

A few years ago I when I worked at Starbucks, one of my daily duties was to stock the pastry case. I liked getting assigned this task because it meant I was able to pick what went where and what was showcased. There was always a mix of special seasonal pastries and the usual treats, but scones always dominated. On any given day there were four to six different types of scones and despite their very processed and uniform appearance, they were delicious. Not in an "I've never had anything better" sort of way, but they were pretty good and I definitely had them for breakfast more than I'd like to admit.

Since then I've had a lot of delicious scones, but none that I've made myself. This recipe was exactly what I was hoping for: super chocolately and almost brownie-like, but still "dry" enough to be considered a scone. I added some dried cherries for a bit of tartness, but the big kicker was the cinnamon butter that went with it. Unfortunately someone dropped her camera, breaking her favorite lens before she could get a picture. Le sigh.

Mini Double Chocolate Cherry Scones
(from here)

Ingredients

2 cups flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, 1 stick cut into pieces and 1 stick softened
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (note: I did 1/2 c. chips and 1/2 cup chopped dried cherries)
1 large egg
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon


Directions
Preheat the oven to 400° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a food processor, combine the flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the pieces of butter and pulse until coarse crumbs form. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the chocolate chips and dried cherries, if using.
In a small bowl, mix the egg with the buttermilk until just combined. Add to the dry ingredients and stir until the dough comes together.
Divide the dough into 2 equal parts and place on the prepared baking sheet. With lightly floured hands, shape each piece into a flat, round cake about 6 inches in diameter (I would recommend getting the flour prepped in a bowl before hand, as touching the dough will make your hands useless globs of chocolate). Using a sharp, straight-edged knife, cut each round into 8 equal wedges, leaving them in place. Sprinkle the tops with the granulated sugar and bake until firm in the center when lightly touched, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool slightly before breaking into wedges.
In a small bowl, using a hand mixer or a fork, beat the softened butter with the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and cinnamon until light and fluffy. Serve with the warm scones.