Peppered Pear & Goat Cheese Scones
There’s a lot going on in these scones—juicy chunks of pear, pockets of creamy goat cheese, and the floral heat of cracked black pepper—but the flavors harmonize the way they do on a good cheese plate, and the yogurt gives them a tender, moist texture a bit like that of a muffin. If you like smaller scones, divide the dough into 8 pieces and bake about 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1¼ teaspoons salt
- 1¼ teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper
- ½ cup 1 stick cold, unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 medium pear peeled, cored, and roughly chopped
- 4 ounces soft goat cheese such as Capriole Chèvre, broken into walnut-size pieces
- ½ cup whole or low-fat plain yogurt
- 2 tablespoons whole milk plus more for brushing
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and pepper. Add the butter and break into pea-size pieces with your fingertips. Sprinkle the pear pieces and goat cheese over the flour mixture and gently toss together, being careful not to break the cheese into smaller pieces.
- Soften the yogurt by whisking in the milk. Pour the yogurt over the flour mixture and gently blend together with a spatula, being careful not to break up the cheese. The dough may look slightly dry and crumbly, but it will produce a very moist scone. Divide the dough into six mounds on the baking sheet, leaving about an inch between them.
- Brush the tops with a little milk, and place the baking sheet in the center of the oven. Bake until lightly brown, about 35 minutes. Remove the sheet to a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Adapted from Savory Baking by Mary Cech