Description
Delicious Babka Scones with an irresistible chocolate filling, combining flaky, tender scone dough with a rich, velvety chocolate ganache and optional hazelnut crunch. Perfectly golden and sweet, these scones are a wonderful twist on classic babka flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Scone Dough
- 325 g all purpose flour (the foundation of your scone that gives them their fluffy texture.)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder (this adds necessary lift to your scones.)
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt (enhances the sweetness of the dough beautifully.)
- 50 g fine granulated sugar (sweetens up the scones for a delightful treat.)
- 113 g unsalted butter, cold and sliced (cold butter creates flaky layers in your scones.)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (infuses the scones with warm, aromatic flavor.)
- 120 g heavy cream, cold (helps bind the dough while adding richness.)
- 1 large egg (provides moisture and acts as a binding agent.)
Chocolate Filling
- 30 g powdered sugar (a touch of sweetness for your smooth chocolate filling.)
- 57 g unsalted butter (adds richness and helps achieve that velvety ganache.)
- 20 g dutch process cocoa (deepens the chocolate flavor in your filling.)
- 150 g chopped dark chocolate (the star ingredient, creating a luscious filling.)
- ¼ cup finely chopped hazelnuts (optional) (adds a delightful crunch and nutty flavor boost.)
Instructions
- Prepare the Chocolate Filling: Melt the butter and chopped chocolate in a small pot over medium-low heat. Once fully melted, sift in the cocoa powder and powdered sugar. Whisk the mixture thoroughly until smooth and combine. Pour the ganache into a bowl to cool to room temperature.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and granulated sugar to evenly distribute the leavening and flavor components.
- Cut in the Butter: Add the cold sliced butter to the dry mixture. Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse kidney beans, creating flaky layers.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together cold heavy cream, the egg, and vanilla extract. Pour this wet mixture into the flour and butter mixture.
- Form the Dough: Use a spatula initially to combine the ingredients just until moist. Then, with clean hands, fold and gently squeeze the dough together until it mostly forms a cohesive ball, being careful not to overwork it to keep the scones tender.
- Roll out the Dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a roughly 20 by 12 inch rectangle.
- Spread the Filling: Evenly spread the cooled chocolate ganache over the rolled out dough, leaving edges clear for rolling.
- Shape and Chill: Carefully roll the dough into a log shape. Place the log on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for 1-2 hours until firm but not fully frozen, which will make slicing easier.
- Slice the Scones: Remove the dough log from the freezer and cut into V-shaped scones approximately 1 inch thick. Place the slices on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spaced apart.
- Prepare for Baking: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly brush the tops of each scone with heavy cream and sprinkle with granulated sugar to create a glossy, sweet crust.
- Bake: Bake the scones for about 20 minutes until the tops and edges turn golden brown and the scones are cooked through. Remove from oven and cool slightly before enjoying.
Notes
- Cold butter is essential for achieving flaky layers in your scones.
- Freezing the rolled dough log before slicing helps maintain the shape and makes clean cutting easier.
- Optional hazelnuts add delightful crunch and nutty flavor; omit if desired or allergic.
- Brush with cream and sprinkle sugar just before baking for a beautiful golden crust.
- Handle the dough gently to avoid overworking, which can make scones tough.
