Savory Cheese Dill Scones

Ingredients

• •¾ teaspoon baking powder
• •½ teaspoon baking soda
• •½ teaspoon black pepper
• •½ cup butter
• •1 cup buttermilk
• •½ cup cheddar cheese
• •½ cup cottage cheese
• •1 tablespoon dill
• •1 large shallot
• •1 tablespoon sugar
• •2¼ cups unbleached flour
• •½ cup flour

Method

Adapted from foodista.com

1. 1Preheat oven to 375F with the rack in middle position.
2. 2Place all the ingredients in a large bowl and use a pastry cutter to incorporate the butter into the dough.
3. 3Cut by pressing on butter, then gathering flour onto it in two quick strokes.
4. 4Cut until butter slices become pea-sized.
5. 5Don't over process or mix. Dough will be dry.
6. 6Break large lumps of butter by hand.
7. 7Toss dry dough with your fingers.
8. 8Blend the cheeses, dill, shallot and pepper.
9. 9Mix using a wooden spoon.
10. 10Drizzle the buttermilk over the dough and drop the cottage cheese in the middle, and stir until mixed.
11. 11Add more buttermilk if dough is too dry to hold together.
12. 12Place dough on a lightly floured surface and divide into two.
13. 13Form 2 discs and flatten each to a thickness of about 1½ inches, cut into 6 wedges for a total of 12 wedges.
14. 14Arrange an inch apart on a cookie sheet.
15. 15Bake for 15 minutes.
16. 16Rotate the pan.
17. 17Bake another 10 to 15 minutes, until scones are light brown on top and darker at the bottom. Bread should no longer be soft and doughy in the center.
18. 18Bake in 2 batches if scones don't fit in one cookie sheet.
19. 19Serve warm or cool in a wire rack before wrapping in foil or plastic wrap/bag. Freshly baked scones can be kept at room temperature for up to 2 days, and in the refrigerator for a week.