Tea Time and Chocolate Chip Scones

At the age of six, I fell in love with tea parties.  For my sixth birthday party, my family surprised me with a "tea" party.  There were crust-less sandwiches, flouncy dresses, and tea cups filled with...lemonade.  Two years later, I was celebrating my birthday again, but this time with real tea, and my father dressed up as a butler.  And fittingly enough, I spent my 10th birthday in London at a tea dance. A big brass band, the Waldorf Hotel, and a high tea?  Clearly, my birthdays peaked at age 10.

Nowadays, I still love the tradition of tea time.  Tea time is always four o'clock in the afternoon.  And you should always serve tea with something delicious, like these scones. 

These chocolate chip scones epitomize the exact type of recipes I want to showcase on this blog.  These scones are ready to eat in under 20 minutes, require no backing skills, and can be personalized however you choose.  Thrown in some currants instead of chocolate chips, or candied ginger, or chopped up toasted almonds!  The options really are endless.

Now go make these scones, and watch an episode of Downton Abbey.

Cream Scones

from the Wall Street Journal

makes about 20 scones

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup sugar, plus 2-3 tablespoons for sprinkling

1 1/3 cup chocolate chips

1 cup heavy cream, cold

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Over a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and 1/3 cup sugar.  
3. Add heavy cream to bowl and use an electric mixer to blend on low until ingredients are just combined.
4. Stir in chocolate chips.
5. Dump dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead very briefly.  Roll dough out to a 1-inch thickness.  You can use a 1 or 1 1/2 inch cookie or biscuit cutter to cut out scones.  I rolled the dough into a 1 inch thickness, and then cut out triangles.  
6. Place scones about 1 inch apart on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.  Reroll dough scraps and repeat process until all dough has been used.  
7. Use a pastry brush to paint tops of scones with melted butter, then sprinkle with sugar.  Place baking sheet in center of oven and bake until scones are golden, 12-15 minutes. 
8. Let scones cool on a baking rack.  Serve room or at room temperature.  
9. Scones can be stored in an airtight container up to 24 hours, or in the freezer up to 12 weeks.