Savory Cheddar and Spinach Scones

These scones are mixed quickly, cut into wedges, and baked on a hot sheet pan for crisp edges and a tender interior. The cheddar brings salt and depth, while spinach adds moisture and a fresh vegetal note. They are best eaten warm the day they are baked.

By Julienne

Cook time: 18 minutes

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 75 g fresh spinach stems removed, finely chopped, briefly wilted and squeezed dry
• 300 g all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
• 15 g baking powder
• 4 g fine salt
• 1 g black pepper freshly ground
• 85 g unsalted butter very cold, cut into 1 cm cubes
• 140 g sharp cheddar cheese coarsely grated
• 1 each large egg lightly beaten
• 180 ml heavy cream cold
• 15 g all-purpose flour for the work surface
• 15 ml milk for brushing

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 220 C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. The oven is fully preheated and the sheet is lined.
2. Wilt the spinach in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, then cool it, squeeze out excess liquid, and chop it finely if needed. The spinach looks collapsed and feels dry rather than wet.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and black pepper. The dry mixture looks evenly combined.
4. Add the cold butter and cut it into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining. Butter pieces are still visible and unevenly distributed.
5. Stir in the cheddar and the prepared spinach. The add-ins are distributed throughout the crumb mixture.
6. In a small bowl, mix the egg and heavy cream. Pour in most of it and gently fold just until a shaggy dough forms; add the remaining amount only if the dough still looks dry. The dough holds together without becoming sticky or smooth.
7. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, pat it into a 2 cm thick round, and cut it into 8 wedges. The round is even and the wedges are cleanly cut.
8. Transfer the wedges to the prepared sheet, brush the tops lightly with milk, and bake for 16 to 18 minutes until the tops are golden and the centers are set. The scones are browned at the edges and no longer doughy in the middle.
9. Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then serve warm. The scones lift cleanly from the parchment and feel firm enough to handle.