These cheddar and leek scones are a savory version of the traditional pastry, loaded with creamy sautéed leeks and sharp cheddar cheese.
There’s something about the idea of eating a scone that conjures up a peaceful sunny morning in a beautiful English garden. And while I was in London once as a kid, I don’t think I’ve ever actually eaten a scone in an English garden. I do, however, have a peaceful and very green backyard. So as the weather has started to turn warm, I decided that I was going to make my little fantasy come to life by baking up a batch of these cheddar and leek scones and enjoying them on my patio with a cup of tea. And I have to say, the real-life version just about lived up to my fantasy, mostly due to the fact that these scones are perfectly crumbly, packed with savory flavor, and just downright delicious.
Usually when we think of scones, we think of a sweet breakfast treat. And I love a sweet scone, as evidence by my recipe for cranberry and earl grey scones. But even though I have quite a few sweet breakfast recipes on here, I have to admit I’m actually more of a savory breakfast person. Raised breakfasts of on “kitchen sink” eggs and bacon-egg-and-cheeses, I definitely crave salt in the morning. And these cheddar and leek scones delivered on that front, with bursts of deeply savory caramelized leeks and extra sharp cheddar cheese.
MAKING A CRUMBLY ANF FLAKY SCONE
When starting writing the recipe for these cheddar and leek scones, I knew what I wanted their flavor profile to be; deeply onion-ey with a hint of sweetness from the leeks, and super sharp and cheesy from the cheddar. What I wasn’t as sure about was how to achieve an ultra crumbly scone dough to be the perfect vessel for those flavors. There’s tons of different techniques out there for how to make scone dough. You can cut the butter into small pieces and combine it with the dry ingredients, you can use a food processor to make the dough. Or, you can grate the butter on a box grater to really ensure that it distributes well throughout the dough and you get a super flaky scone. And since I already had the box grater out to shred the cheddar for this recipe, I decided to try this technique.
And I have to say, shredding the butter really did work incredibly well to create the ultra flaky scone I was looking for. Yes, it’s a little extra work. But once you’ve baked your scones you’ll literally be able to see the layers. As they bake, those little shreds of butter (along with the shredded cheese) that are stuck inside the dough will begin to separate the scone into layers, creating that much sought after flake.
THE PERFECT BREAKFAST NO MATTER THE WEATHER
I have to admit that my little fantasy of eating these cheddar and leek scones with a cup of tea in my sunny garden didn’t quite go to plan. I bought the ingredients to make them during the week, but when Saturday morning rolled around and I started on them, the weather was chill and gray. Shouldering through, I diligently baked my scones and brewed my tea. Luckily, my patio is covered, so I still got to enjoy them outside, and there was actually something romantic about the cloudy weather.
But one bite into one of these cheddar and leek scones something was immediately obvious. It wouldn’t matter the weather, the time of day or the location. Wherever, whenever, however you eat these scones, they really are so delicious that everything else melts away and you’re left with only one thought: I need to bake more of these.
Cheddar and Leek Scones
Ingredients
- 2 leeks, cleaned and trimmed
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more for seasoning the leeks and topping the scones
- 1 egg, yolk and white seperated
- 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp butter (the 1/2 cup for the scone dough, the 2 tbsp for sautéing the leeks, very cold butter)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Heat a sauté pan over medium heat with about 2 tbsp of butter. Clean and trim the leeks; you will only use the white and very light green parts. Slice them down the middle lengthwise, and slice into thin half-moons.
- Sauté the leeks until softened and starting to brown, 7-10 minutes, adding a splash of water if they start to brown too much. Season with salt and pepper. Once cooked, spread them out on a plate and place them in the fridge to cool quickly.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder and sugar. Stir well to combine.
- Use a box grater to shred the butter. Add the shredded butter to the flour mixture and use your fingers to distribute it well. Then add the shredded cheese and cooled leeks and toss to combine. Then add the heavy cream and egg yolk and mix until a shaggy dough is formed.
- On a well floured surface, turn your dough out and squeeze it together into one mass of dough. Roll it out to an 8 inch circle, then cut into 8 evenly sized triangle slices. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat and carefully arrange the scones on it, ensuring there is at least 1 inch of space between them. Place them in the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes.
- While the scones are in the fridge, preheat your oven to 400.
- Brush each scone with egg white and sprinkle with flaky salt. Bake until golden, 20-22 minutes.
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