Make Ahead

Ode to Mrs. Larkin's Royal Wedding Scones adapted for my picky-chocoholic son

August 12, 2019
5
1 Ratings
Photo by zoemetro uk
  • Prep time 45 minutes
  • Cook time 25 minutes
  • Makes 9 square scones
Author Notes

This is an ode to Mrs. Larkin's Royal Wedding Scones. And to be honest I even feel guilty posting this recipe because it is really all about hers. One fine day, my son asked for scones and I found Mrs. Larkin's recipe (love her stuff.) However, I did not have heavy cream. My son likes chocolate chips, not blueberries. And I also always hide fruit/vegetable puree in his food (don't worry, I will tell him at his wedding.) ;-) And this is why Mrs. Larkin's recipe is so amazing...I substituted quite a few ingredients and her recipe worked like a charm. In fact, her recipe is so good I have varied the wet ingredients depending on what I have on hand, i.e. buttermilk, cream cheese, butternut squash/apple puree, etc... and it always works. I have also changed a bit of the process in order to save on dirty dishes/equipment. Anyway, many thanks to Mrs. Larkin and if you have a picky-chocoholic family member, I hope that you give these a try. As for the creamy part, fresh clotted cream is not available, so I just whip lashings of heavy cream and take it a little too far as a perfect spread for the piping-hot nooks and crannies on top of the scones.
zoemetro uk

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Ingredients
  • 2 1/2 cups Unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 6 tablespoons cold butter
  • 1 egg
  • 3 ounces mango/apple or other fruit puree (I use Trader Joe's apple/mango.)
  • 5 ounces any-fat greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 9 tablespoons whipped cream
  • 1 cup chocolate chunks (I use Trader Joe's.)
Directions
  1. In a bowl mix together the dry ingredients except for the baking soda.
  2. Cut the chilled butter into tiny cubes. (I slice it on the paper it is wrapped in and then chop it with a knife in hand over the bowl like an Italian nana. Give a mix with the knife each time you add another slice so the butter gets covered in the flour mixture. Continue until all the butter is incorporated.
  3. Get your fingers ready and dig in by pressing the pieces of butter into the surrounding flour. This is also necessary for any clumpy brown sugar. I leave lots of one-centimeter butter chunks. I have mixed it further, and then my son says that it is too "cakey."
  4. Stir in chocolate chips (or equal amount fruit if you are not a chocoholic like me). Put the bowl in the freezer for 20-30 minutes or until you are ready to bake. After 10-20 minutes, preheat the oven to 425 degrees on convection bake.
  5. Combine the wet ingredients. Remove the dry ingredient/butter mixture from the freezer. Add the baking soda and stir it in. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients with a big spoon, fork or your hands. The dough will be very crumbly, just mix until it is combined. Be patient while mixing. It will seem as if everything will not come together. Keep mixing. If after mixing you still have some flour that will not incorporate, add a tablespoon of milk and keep mixing.
  6. Dump the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Gently form it into a rectangle/square. Mix the 2 tablespoons of heavy cream and yogurt and brush onto the top of the dough. Sprinkle with sugar if you like.
  7. Gently cut the dough into 9 squares and pop it in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Sometimes, if I remember, I rotate the pan after 10 minutes or so.
  8. When the scones are baked and cooled a bit (about 5 minutes), serve with a dollop of whipped cream on top and enjoy. Leftover scones can be reheated under the broiler for 3-5 minutes.

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2 Reviews

mrslarkin August 28, 2019
oh my gosh! These sound so fab! So glad you like the RWS! PS I'm OBSESSED with the TJs choco chunks.
zoemetro U. August 29, 2019
Oh wow! Thank you Mrs. larkin. It all comes down to you and your fool-proof recipes! As well, I agree, TJs chocolate chunks are a game-changer.