Blue cheese, date and nut scones

Breakfast for dinner calls for both savoury and sweet, and these scones marry those together in one buttery, delightful mouthful.

Recipe

from Sweet

2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup light brown sugar, plus more for sprinkling
2 tsp baking powder
8 tbsp unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
½ cup crumbled blue cheese, preferably bleu d'Auvergne
2 large eggs
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup chopped raw hazelnuts
⅔ cup chopped pitted dates, tossed with 1 tbsp flour

Preheat oven to 350 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.Sift together flour, brown sugar, and baking powder and transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment (or a large bowl if doing by hand). Add the butter and mix on low speed for 30 seconds. With mixer running, crumble in blue cheese and mix for about 30 seconds. Add 1 egg and heavy cream and mix just until everything looks crumbly; do not overtax.

Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and use a rolling pin to roll dough gently until it's about 1" thick. Sprinkle half the nuts and dates over dough. Fold in half as best you can and sprinkle top with remaining nuts and dates. Dust dough with a little flour and roll out to ¾" thick. Using a sharp knife, cut dough into twelve 2½-3" squares (or whatever shape you like). Place scones at least 1" apart on prepared baking sheet.

Whisk remaining egg and lightly brush tops of scones with it. Sprinkle generously with brown sugar. Bake for 20 minutes or until scones are golden brown around edges. Transfer scones to a rack and cool completely.

Musings

These scones are heavenly. Fluffy and melt-in-your-mouth delicious--the perfect combination of savoury and sweet. I could see adding a touch more blue cheese for a stronger flavour, but as it is, it provides a sufficient counterpoint to the sweetness of the dates. This recipe originally called for hazelnuts, which I think I used the first time I made it, but I've since substituted pecans, which also taste delicious. Definitely a recipe to be made again!