Cheddar and herb scones

It's been quite awhile since I've thrown on an apron and tried my hand at baking. After a long day in front of the computer, there's nothing like a bit of restless, procrastinatory energy to compel me into the kitchen. I had a hankering for scones, and a quick perusal of Epicurious yielded several choice results, including a cheddar and chives recipe. We are unfortunately without chives, but I had some fresh herbs on hand that would likely do the trick.

Recipe

adapted from Epicurious.comMakes 16 scones3 cups all-purpose flour1 tbsp baking powder1 tbsp sugar2 tsp salt1-1/2 cups extra-sharp Cheddar, coarsely grated1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped2 cup heavy cream, plus additional for brushingPreheat oven to 400 F.  Whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Add herbs and cheddar, tossing to combine. Stir in cream with a fork until a sticky dough forms. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead 8 times with floured hands. Halve dough and form each half into a 7" round. Brush tops of rounds with additional cream and cut each into 8 wedges. Arrange wedges about 1/2" apart on an ungreased baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool on a rack.

Musings

A few notes on preparation: the original recipe actually called for 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh chives instead of rosemary and thyme. Not having any chives, I substituted rosemary and thyme in (as I saw one of the reviews of the recipe said that they had success with rosemary).Literally the first words out of my mouth after taking a bite were "oh wow yum". Nothing like a warm scone, fresh from the oven! I'd never made savoury scones before, and I can definitely see their appeal. The exterior of the scone had a nice crunch to it before giving away to a wonderfully moist, fluffy interior. David, who enjoyed these after a particularly grueling Bikram's yoga session, noted that you can definitely get the herb flavour coming through. I was a bit worried about their not being "herby" enough, as I basically made up how much to put in. But in the end, I think it was the appropriate amount, though I might do with a touch more cheese flavour next time (that may just be me and my perpetual desire for cheesiness). This might be achieved through a sharper cheddar or just adding a bit more. Nonetheless, a tasty treat which will allow us to forego the Pop Tart breakfasts for the next few days. Always a plus.