Muffins + Scones

pomegranate + white chocolate scones

pomegranate + white chocolate scones | the vanilla bean blog
Do you mean to tell me you will see no fissure?
Do you prefer to look on the plain side?

For all that, the setting suns are open.
The end cracks open with the beginning:
Rosy, tender, glittering within the fissure.

Do you mean to tell me there should be no fissure?
No glittering, compact drops of dawn?
Do you mean it is wrong, the gold-filmed skin, integument,
shown ruptured?

For my part, I prefer my heart to be broken.
It is so lovely, dawn-kaleidoscopic within the crack.
-D.H. Lawerence, Pomegranate
scones6 (1 of 1)blogsize

pomegranate + white chocolate scones
adapted from Ina Garten and Cooks Illustrated

I’ve been making scones the same way for years – an adaption of Ina Garten’s Strawberry Scones from her first cookbook. However, I recently made Cooks Illustrated’s blueberry scones and loved their technique of grating the butter and folding the dough over to create layers. I decided to try it out with my scone recipe, and, it was so good! And, I’ll never go back! So here’s my version of things. You can watch this video if you need help shaping the scones (the recipe will be different, but the technique the same). If you need help cutting a pomegranate, here’s a video to teach you. Also. Pomegranates and white chocolate! I can’t get enough.

2 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, frozen
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup pomegranate seeds
2 (or 3, if you need to) ounces white chocolate, chopped into small squares
heavy cream for brushing
1-2 tablespoons sugar for sprinkling

Position a rack in the center of the oven and the preheat oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Mix the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, sour cream, vanilla, and eggs. Grate the frozen butter on the large holes of a box cutter and add it to the flour mixture. Toss with your fingers until the butter is evenly coated. Add the cream mixture to the flour mixture and fold with a spatula until just combined. Transfer the dough to a floured surface, and dust the top of the dough with flour. Knead the dough 6 to 8 times, until it resembles a ragged ball (add more flour if it is sticking too much).

Using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a 12 inch square. Fold the dough in thirds (a business letter fold). Lift the short ends of the dough and fold into thirds again, making a 4 inch square. Transfer dough to a baking sheet  or plate dusted with flour, and chill in the freezer for 5 minutes.

Bring the chilled dough back to your floured surface, and roll into a 12 inch square again. Sprinkle the pomegranates and white chocolate over the dough, then press them down gently into the dough. Using a bench scraper, loosen the dough from the surface, and roll it into a cylinder (roll it like a jelly-roll log to help incorporate the pomegranates and chocolate). Roll the cylinder so it is seam side down, and then press into a 12 by 4 inch rectangle. Using a sharp knife, cut the rectangle crosswise into 4 equal rectangles, then cut each rectangle diagonally to form 2 triangles. Transfer the triangles to the baking sheet.

Brush the tops with a little heavy cream and sprinkle them generously with sugar (coarse sugar is nice here). Bake until the tops and bottoms are golden brown, 18-25 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through baking. Tranfer the sheet to a wire rack and let cool 10 minutes before serving.

  • Reply
    laurie
    Sunday, December 22, 2013 at 9:53 pm

    These look perfect for Christmas brunch. Do you think I could make them the day before and bake them off in the morning? Thanks – your photos are lovely.

    • Reply
      Sarah
      Monday, December 23, 2013 at 11:45 am

      Hi Laurie!
      Cooks Illustrated says you can – when you put the scones on the baking sheet (after cutting them into triangles), refrigerate them overnight, and then continue with the remaining directions in the morning. I haven’t tried it, but they are usually right!

  • Reply
    Aimee @ Simple Bites
    Monday, December 16, 2013 at 9:12 pm

    This is what I want to wake up to tomorrow. I know I saved a pomegranate for something!

  • Reply
    phi @PrincessTofu
    Friday, December 13, 2013 at 12:49 am

    So would you say it’s easier to grate butter or put it in the food processor? I heard grating butter is a good way to get it soft if you somehow did not have soft, room temperature butter. I’m lazy so I just toss whatevers into the food processor. …

    and poetry too? d.h. lawrence. what a gem.

  • Reply
    Julie
    Wednesday, December 11, 2013 at 7:28 am

    Lovely! I’ve never made anything with pomegranate before, but I am going to try these.

  • Reply
    Kelsey
    Tuesday, December 10, 2013 at 6:51 pm

    Beautiful.

  • Reply
    la domestique
    Tuesday, December 10, 2013 at 8:34 am

    I am not a lover of white chocolate, but you’ve piqued my curiosity with this pretty little scone. Such beautiful words as well.

  • Reply
    Maria
    Tuesday, December 10, 2013 at 7:23 am

    Gorgeous scones!

  • Reply
    Sonja {Dagmar's Kitchen}
    Monday, December 9, 2013 at 1:50 pm

    Wonderful! Now you had me curious to try that technique out. I’ve read about freezing and grating the butter other places, but never tried it. Will try for sure next time I make scones. Your blog is lovely btw 🙂

  • Reply
    Lindsey (dolly and oatmeal)
    Monday, December 9, 2013 at 7:16 am

    Back when I used butter I would totally grate it into my scones! I forgot where I read it, but I remember thinking then how genius it was. I always love how your scones come out, and your use of fillings! Pom + white chocolate, dreamy!

  • Reply
    Sarah
    Sunday, December 8, 2013 at 10:50 pm

    And here I thought these lovelies were sharing cranberries from your instagram shot.. But pomegranate, way amazing! Love that first photo so much. Happy holidays to you and your family Sarah. xoo

  • Reply
    Kathryn
    Sunday, December 8, 2013 at 11:51 am

    Intrigued to try this scone technique, I can imagine it produces an excellent texture in a scone. And the flavours here! One of my absolute favourite combinations. So beautiful.

  • Reply
    Tieghan
    Saturday, December 7, 2013 at 9:35 pm

    I honestly am putting pomegranates in everything I can these days! I love them! These scones are so right up my alley!

  • Reply
    Medha
    Saturday, December 7, 2013 at 11:12 am

    I love pomegranate, can’t get enough of them – but never tried to combine with dessert/sweet! Your recipe looks delicious, I can’t go wrong with combination of pomegranate and white chocolate! I so want to try this fold over technique – totally make sense. Thanks for mentioning it!

  • Reply
    Skye
    Saturday, December 7, 2013 at 8:50 am

    What beautiful photographs. Stunning and wonderfully evocative. And I love the idea of pomegranate and white chocolate together. Classic yet sophisticated. Heaven.

    • Reply
      Sarah
      Saturday, December 7, 2013 at 9:52 am

      Thank you Skye! And yes, white chocolate and pomegranate are wonderful together. I can’t get enough.

  • Reply
    Sophia
    Saturday, December 7, 2013 at 8:47 am

    I love pomegranates (and am so excited to finally live in a place where they grow and I can pick them fresh off the tree at my boyfriend’s mum’s house!) and as much as purists tend to shun white chocolate, I love it in all its glory. Super intrigued by the scone technique too – just watched the video and it is completely different to how I make my scones but maybe I need to give it a go – both the blueberry scones and your scones look so so delicious!

    • Reply
      Sarah
      Saturday, December 7, 2013 at 9:51 am

      I can’t imagine picking a pomegranate from the tree. That sounds perfect. I’m not a huge white chocolate fan, but loved it with the pomegranate. And, I wasn’t sure about the fold-over technique for scones, but it’s genius.

  • Reply
    Jen @ Savory Simple
    Saturday, December 7, 2013 at 8:31 am

    I’ve been excited to see the recipe for these ever since you first shared them on instagram. I can’t wait to try them 🙂

    • Reply
      Sarah
      Saturday, December 7, 2013 at 9:49 am

      Thanks Jen! Let me know what you think. xx

  • Reply
    thecitygourmand
    Saturday, December 7, 2013 at 3:17 am

    An interesting combination, that’s for sure! Looks amazing

    • Reply
      Sarah
      Saturday, December 7, 2013 at 9:49 am

      Thank you! I’m usually not a big white chocolate fan, but I loved it with the pomegranate.

  • Reply
    molly
    Friday, December 6, 2013 at 10:04 pm

    how had i never seen this d.h. lawerence lovely? a thousand thanks for bringing it to my attention. (and a thousand thumbs up to the fold-over technique. it’s a marvel, for rolls as for scones.)

    happy december,
    xo,
    molly

    • Reply
      Sarah
      Saturday, December 7, 2013 at 9:49 am

      I recently stumbled across it as well; those last 2 lines have stayed with me for days. And, yes, the fold-over technique! It’s genius.

  • Reply
    Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes)
    Friday, December 6, 2013 at 9:21 pm

    These are seriously some very lovely scones you have here!

    • Reply
      Sarah
      Saturday, December 7, 2013 at 9:48 am

      Thank you so much!

  • Reply
    Mallory @ Because I Like Chocolate
    Friday, December 6, 2013 at 6:29 pm

    I need to try this pomegranate and white chocolate dessert combo! I am thinking muffins or cookies.

    • Reply
      Sarah
      Saturday, December 7, 2013 at 9:48 am

      Both sound good! I might make muffins next. 😉

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