Parmesan Green Onion Mini Scones

I make these scones often, mostly for clients. They want something savory along cakes and bars, so in come these scones, sliders and mini quiches. Guess where the comments usually point to? These scones.

Then the other day, my car had trouble starting up so I called the insurance. They sent two guys who looked here and there, I pretended I knew what they were talking about, even suggested a few ideas as to what it might be, which they graciously paid no attention to, and proceeded to change the battery. When they were leaving I gave them a few of these warm mini scones, fresh out of the oven.

Well it turns out I wasn´t so wrong after all, about the car I mean, because a few days later I had the same problem. It turns out it was not the battery. Here is where you roll your eyes remembering similar stories. So the same two guys came by my house again. Their main concern was where they could buy these scones, because they had told their buddies at work and they wanted to try them. It made my day.

I grew up eating scones, the plain, buttery delicious ones someone in my family made, which were a recipe passed down by my Irish ancestors. That recipe is lost, but I´ve found even better ones along the way.

These will remain one of my favorites. The green onions are essential; they combine with the cheese and flavor this little towers like nothing else could. Have some in the freezer and bake them for surprise friends visits, or better yet, with a cold beer in one hand. Or a glass of wine. These are salty munchies to help you unwind after a long day. 

PARMESAN SCONES

adapted from Pastries from the La Brea Bakery, by Nancy Silverton

Note: I sometimes use sour cream and other times cream. For these it was cream, but the sour cream alternative is just as great.

Ingredients

2 ¾ cups (385g) pastry flour

1 Tbs + 1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons kosher salt

¾ cup (3oz/85g) grated Parmesan cheese

4.5 oz (130g) unsalted butter, cut into cubes and frozen

½ cup minced green onions

Black pepper

1 cup cream or sour cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 400º F /200º C

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and cheese and process on low to incorporate. Scatter the butter over the mixture and pulse on and off a few times, until the consistency of a fine meal.

Transfer this mixture to a large bowl, toss in the green onion and a pinch of black pepper, and mix well. Have a fork in hand, add the cream or sour cream and start mixing the wet and dry ingredients together. Do this lightly until just combined. The mixture will be a bit dry.

Turn the dough out onto a very lightly floured work surface and gently knead a few times to gather into a ball. Pat the dough into a circle slightly thicker than ½ inch (1.3 cm).

With a round cookie cutter, cut out the circles, cutting as closely together as possible and keeping the trimmings intact.

Gather the scraps, pat and press the pieces together (do not over work the dough), and cut out remaining dough.

Place the circles on a parchment-lined baking tray. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of the scones, until firm to the touch and lightly golden.

Makes about 25 mini scones.