#199 Cheddar Dill Scones from the Barefoot Contessa

 While I was flipping through my Barefoot Contessa Cook book by Ina Garten, the rustic look of these cheddar dill scones captivated my attention. An urge to bake was instilled in me when I read that these famous scones are popular on the menu at the Barefoot Contessa store. I couldn't help but bake some of my own....and that's how these beauties slowly took shape after being nurtured to perfection.  I can bake some 'killer' cookies and pastries but bread is not my main skill. I've shared my deficiences with baking breads in a previous post,  so this one was perfected with intense concentration following Ina's steps very closely. A few posts back, I mentioned that I received a set of cookbooks for Christmas and this was my chance to try out recipes from some of them bringing new ideas to the table. So here it is......

Since dill is a particularly good choice for fish I re-discovered a whole different power of this wonderful herb, and having used it sparsely, I noticed that its flavor could easily be the highlight throughout bread and scones too. I whipped up some honey butter to dab over the cheesy scones and ended up enjoying a superb breakfast. Thanks Ina for turning this baking session into a whole new way to enjoy this lovely herb!
Besides, if I were to purchase the same scone at a nice bakery, I must pay an outrageous price for it. So I've found that baking scones isn't as scary and that it's much more affordable to eat homemade scones -buttery, crunchy and fresh from the oven!

4 cups All-purpose flour(extra for kneading)

2 Tablespoon baking powder

2 tspn salt

3/4 pound unsalted cold butter , cubed

4 extra large eggs, beaten lightly

1 cup cold heavy cream

1/2 pound extra sharp yellow cheddar cheese grated

1 cup minced fesh dill (I used dried dill and 1/2 cup was enough)

1 egg beaten with 1 tablesoon milk for egg wash

Ina's Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Combine flour, baking powder and salt on the bowl of an electric mixer, a glass bowl and egg beater should suffice. (I used my Kitchenaid and Paddle)

3. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is in pea-sized pieces. Mix the eggs and heavy cream and quickly ass them to the flour-and-butter mixture.Combine until just blended.

4. Toss together the cheddar, dill and 1 tablespoon of flour and add them to the dough, Mix until incorporated.

5. Dump the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead it for 1 minute, until the cheddar and dill are well distributed.(Do not overmix or knead too much).

6. Roll the dough about 3/4 inch thick. Cut into 4 inch squares and then in half diagonally to make triangles. Brush the tops with egg wash.

7. Bake on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil for about 20 to 25 mins, until the outside is crusty light brown and the inside is fully baked.