Maple Cheddar Scones

It’s the tail end of winter, and we’re somewhere in between soup season and reliable local spring produce (though the Market Garden is harvesting over-wintered spinach—the growing season is coming!). When I asked our Chef Jackie Major if she had any Shelburne Farms-inspired recipes for this time of year, she knew just the thing: Maple Cheddar Scones.

Her favorite element of the recipe is inspired by Inn Pastry Chef Cat Woods: the maple butter brushed on after the final bake. “Cat loves honey butter, and this is a little homage to her. It’s a great way to make sure that the maple flavor comes through.”

Cheese-wise, Chef Jackie prefers to use a blend when cooking or baking. “Our tractor cheddar provides a super sharp flavor, Marshall Reserve adds a nice nutty flavor, and if you prefer a more mild cheese flavor, stick to six-month or one-year.” For this recipe, she’s using a mix of tractor, smoked, and one-year; sometimes it’s really just about what’s on-hand. “Aside from clothbound, which can be an overpowering flavor, any combination of our cheddars will work.”

Yield: 12 triangle-shaped scones

Ingredients

• 12 Tbsp cold unsalted butter (1½ sticks), plus 1½ Tbsp for topping
• 4 cups flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp salt
• 5 cracks fresh pepper or ¼ tsp ground
• 1 Tbsp chopped herbs (any mixture of dill, parsley, chive, rosemary, sage, or thyme)
• ½ cup grated cheddar: ¼ cup in batter; ¼ cup for topping the scones halfway through baking
• 2 cups heavy cream
• ¼ cup milk
• ¼ cup maple syrup, plus 1 Tbsp for topping
• ⅓ cup cubed cheddar

Method

Use the photos above for some visual tips of the baking process.

1. Mix the dry ingredients (butter, flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, herbs, and ¼ cup grated cheddar) in a food processor until a thick crumb is achieved, about 24 short pulses. It should look like sand. Remove the butter and flour mix into a bowl.
2. Gently fold in the wet ingredients (heavy cream and ¼ cup maple syrup). Form the dough into a loose square about 2 inches thick. Let rest for 10 mins.
3. After resting, roll out the dough onto a lightly floured surface into a loose 1-inch thick rectangle. The shape doesn't have to be perfect, just give it a roll or two and pat the edges into shape with your hands. Cut dough into quarters, stack, and roll out into another 1-inch thick rectangle. This method mixes in the shaggy bits of dough without overmixing. You can do this a second time if the dough feels too loose.
4. Arrange your rectangle dough so the short edge faces you. Place one half of cubed cheddar in the center of the rectangle. Fold up the bottom third to cover the cheese. Place the remaining cheddar on top of what you just folded up. Then take the remaining upper portion of the dough and fold it over the second sprinkling of cheese. Give it a gentle roll to flatten a bit and let it rest for 10 minutes (see video below).
5. Roll out the dough again into a 1½–2 inch thick rectangle. Cut into desired shapes (try 12 long skinny triangles or 24 smaller squares). Bake for 11 minutes at 400°F (375°F if using convection) on a greased parchment-lined sheet tray (if you don’t grease the parchment, the oozy cheese will stick to it). Brush with ¼ cup milk.
6. At the 11-minute mark, remove the scones from the oven and sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of grated cheddar over the tops of the scones. Rotate the tray and bake for another 6–10 minutes or until desired cheese crispiness.
7. While the scones are baking, melt the remaining butter and the maple syrup. Brush the mixture on the scones immediately after removing them from the oven. Enjoy!