Author Notes: This recipe comes from Briana Holt at Tandem Coffee and Bakery in Portland, Maine. If you have a kitchen scale, definitely use it for this recipe! Also (…more) —Posie Harwood
Makes 12 large scones
- 14ounces very good butter (use 82% or 86% milk fat if you can find it)
- 727 1/2grams (6 cups) all-purpose flour
- 18 1/2grams (4 1/2 teaspoons) baking powder
- 6grams (1 1/2 teaspoons) baking soda
- 100grams (1/2 cup) sugar
- 6grams (1 1/2 teaspoons) salt
- 4ounces tender, fresh kale
- 1tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2cup pine nuts
- 3/4cup grated pecorino or Parmesan, plus more for sprinkling
- 1/2cup currants (optional)
- 1/2teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4teaspoon flaky sea salt (like Maldon)
- 1 1/2 to 2cups cold, well-shaken buttermilk
- 1egg
- Cut the butter up into small cubes (about 1/2-inch squares) and chill in the refrigerator. The butter should be quite cold but not frozen.
- Whisk all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Add them to a food processor with the cold butter and pulse until the mixture has large, pea-sized chunks of butter. **You can do this step by hand and cut the butter in with a fork or a pastry cutter, but the food processor is infinitely easier!**
- Refrigerate the butter and flour mixture while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
- Chop up the kale into bite-sized pieces. Drizzle lemon juice over the kale and massage it into the kale a bit.
- In a skillet over medium heat, toast the pine nuts until they are just golden brown and smell fragrant.
- Preheat the oven to 400° F.
- While the oven heats up, remove the butter/flour mixture from the refrigerator. Mix in the kale, grated cheese, toasted pine nuts, and currants (if using). Reserve a small amount of the flaky sea salt and black pepper for topping, and mix the rest into the dough.
- Pour 1 1/2 cups of buttermilk over the mixture and toss gently with your hands to hydrate the dough evenly. Turn the dough out onto a counter or work surface. Using your hands, start bringing the shaggy mound of dough together, drizzling a little more buttermilk over it here and there if you see dry spots. You might need the additional 1/2 cup of buttermilk, but don't add it all until you've mixed the dough a bit—often, it looks dry but will come together nicely.
- You want to bring the mixture together firmly but avoid mashing or pressing it down. Try to fold the mass of dough over itself and then turn it a quarter and repeat, even though it may seem a shaggy mess. It should take about 6 folds and turns to make a fairly well-incorporated ball of dough.
- Divide the dough into two pieces and press each piece gently into a flat, round disc about 7 inches in diameter. Lightly beat the egg and brush it over the the dough.
- Sprinkle the top of the dough with the remaining black pepper and flaky sea salt, and some more grated cheese if you like.
- Using a very sharp knife, slice each disc into 6 even triangles. Transfer the triangles to 2 parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Bake at 400° F for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350° F and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes. The scones are finished when they are golden brown all over the surface. Source
