Apricot And Chocolate Scones

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup chilled butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1/3 cup dried apricot, finely-chopped, divided
• 2/3 cup chocolate chips, divided
• 1 egg
• about 1/3 cup half-and-half cream
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 400 degrees f. lightly grease a cookie or baking sheet with shortening or lightly spray with vegetable-oil cooking spray.
• 2 in a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. with a pastry blender or two knives, cut butter into flour mixture until particles are the size of small peas.
• 3 reserve 2 tablespoons chopped apricots for topping; set aside. stir remaining chopped apricots and 1/3 cup chocolate baking chips into flour mixture.
• 4 add egg and just enough half-and-half cream until dough just leaves side of bowl and forms a ball. when making scones, work the dough quickly and do not over mix.
• 5 place dough on a lightly floured surface. knead lightly 10 times. pat or roll into an 8-inch circle on cookie sheet. cut into 8 wedges, but do not separate. bake approximately 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. remove from oven and immediately remove from baking sheet; carefully separate wedges.
• 6 in a microwave-safe bowl, melt remaining 1/3 cup chocolate chips in the microwave for 15 to 20 second intervals. after each interval, stir (even if there is no sign of melting). once melted (usually after 4 or 5 cycles in the microwave) place melted chocolate chips in a small resealable plastic food-storage bag. cut off small corner of bag; pipe small amount of melted chips over scones. sprinkle with reserved 2 tablespoons chopped apricots. pipe remaining melted chips over scones. serve warm or cool.
• 7 tips: when the scones are cool, wrap airtight and hold at room temperature for up to one day or freeze to store longer (see freezing scones below). to reheat, unwrap scones (thaw wrapped, if frozen) and place onto a baking sheet. bake in a 350 degrees oven 8 to 10 minutes or until warm.