Chocolate Cherry Valentine Scones Recipes

CHOCOLATE CHERRY SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
• Cut the into chunks and add it to the flour mixture. Using your fingers or a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles course crumbs.
• In a separate small bowl, beat the egg. Add the heavy whipping cream, pure maple syrup, and vanilla. Mix well.
• Create a well in the dry ingredients, then pour the wet mixture in. With a wooden spoon, mix the dough just until it all comes together. Add the cherries and stir until combined.
• Spread a little flour on your pastry surface and turn the dough onto the surface. With your hands, and using a little flour if necessary, shape the dough into an approximately 8-inch x 5-inch rectangle. Cut the dough in half down the middle and again across so that you have four rectangles. Slice each rectangle on the diagonal to create two rough triangles.
• Carefully transfer the scones to the cookie sheet and bake until set, about 15 minutes.
• Let cool for about 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack with paper towels underneath (the paper towels help with clean-up). Allow to cool completely.
• Place chocolate chips in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave at 50% power for 30 seconds. Stir and cook at 50% power in 15-second increments until the chips melt completely smooth when you stir them. With a spoon, drizzle the chocolate over the scones. Let cool so the chocolate will harden, then serve.

HEART-SHAPED DRIED CHERRY AND CHOCOLATE CHIP SCONES

Steps:

• Butter and flour baking sheet. Whisk 2 cups flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in large bowl. Add butter and grated orange peel; rub in with fingertips until coarse meal forms. Mix in chocolate chips and dried cherries. Whisk buttermilk, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and almond extract in small bowl to blend. Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients; stir with fork until dough comes together in moist clumps. Gather dough into ball. Press out dough on lightly floured surface to 3/4-inch thickness. Using 2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out scones. Gather scraps, press out dough and cut out additional scones. Transfer to baking sheet, spacing 1 inch apart. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.)
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush scones lightly with milk; sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake until scones are crusty on top and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 15 minutes (or up to 20 minutes if refrigerated). Serve warm or at room temperature.

CHOCOLATE-CHERRY VALENTINE SCONES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F.
• In large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through mixture in opposite directions), cut in butter until mixture looks like fine crumbs. Stir in cherries until coated with flour mixture. Stir in whipping cream, vanilla and egg just until liquid is absorbed into flour mixture.
• Turn mixture out onto clean work surface; lightly knead 10 to 15 times or just until a dough forms. Using floured rolling pin or patting out with hands, roll dough into thick 15x2 1/2-inch rectangle.
• With 2 1/2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut 7 scones by placing cookie cutter in opposite directions directly on cut edge of previous heart. Place dough hearts about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Reroll dough scraps into 5x2 1/2-inch rectangle. Cut 2 additional heart shapes from remaining dough; place on cookie sheet.
• Bake 10 to 12 minutes or just until edges are set. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack.
• In small resealable freezer plastic bag, place baking chips; seal bag. In another small resealable plastic bag, place red candy melts; seal bag. Microwave both filled bags on High 2 to 3 minutes, kneading bags twice, until chips and candy melts are melted. Cut off tiny bottom corner of each bag. Immediately squeeze bag with melted candy melts to drizzle melted candy over scones. Repeat with bag of melted baking chips. Let stand 10 minutes; serve warm.