Lead photo credit Alexandra | Lionel & Hetta
As summer’s haste begins to settle, I often find myself craving fresh breads and baked goods… and Saturday morning scones, paired with freshly pressed coffee, is my idea of the perfect slow breakfast. I tend to prefer savoury over sweet, and these Asiago and onion scones always satisfy my cravings. They’re quick to make, so even if fall hasn’t quite settled in, you don’t need to spend hours in the kitchen with a hot oven.
Keep in mind that this recipe can be used as a base, and moulded to your preference. Simply focus on keeping the consistency flakey, and you shouldn’t have any trouble. For example, if you sub the onions and cheese for berries, you may find you’ll only need half the whipping cream, whereas dry add-ins will likely trend closer to the guidelines below. As you get used to the feeling of the dough, the recipe is rather forgiving. Have fun with it!
Ingredients
- 1 Small Onion, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
- 1/2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/2 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
- 1 Cup Asiago Cheese, grated
- 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour, plus some for dusting
- 1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 3 Tbsp. Sugar
- 1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, frozen
- 3/4 Cup Whipping Cream, plus more as needed
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
In a skillet over medium, heat 1/2 Tbsp. of olive oil and 1/2 Tbsp. of butter. Once the butter is bubbling, add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent (2-3 minutes). Lower the heat and continue to cook for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are a light golden hue. Transfer the onions to a paper-towel or linen-lined plate and allow them to cool.
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In a large bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients.
Remove the butter from the freezer. Use a box grater to shred the butter on the medium setting. Add the butter to the dry ingredients and, using a pastry cutter or two forks, cut the butter into the dry ingredients. The final product should be quite dry, with small chunks of butter scattered throughout.
At this point, I like to put the mixture into the freezer for a few minutes to ensure the butter remains cold. This step is optional, but it helps prevent the scones from flattening in the oven.
Add 1/2 cup of the whipping cream to the dry ingredients. Mix together with a spatula until combined, breaking up the large pieces if needed. At this point, the dough should be quite dry and likely won’t quite hold together yet. If this is the case, continue by adding the remaining 1/4 cup of cream, as needed. Once the dough starts to hold together (it will still be slightly dry), gently incorporate the cheese and onions.
Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and bring it together into one mass. Press it together firmly, warming it ever so slightly with your hands, in order to help it hold. Then, flatten the dough into an even 1″ thick disk.
Cutting the disk-like a pie, divide it into 8 slices. Transfer each piece onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing the scones out as much as possible (about 1 1/2 to 2 inches apart). You’ll want to work quickly, to keep the dough from warming. If the scones no longer feel cool to the touch, pop them in the fridge for about 15 minutes. Otherwise, brush the tops of each scone with some of the cream, and bake in the oven for approximately 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown.
Serve with butter and enjoy!
