Goat Cheese, Chive and Mascarpone Scones

 

My friend Marie from Little Kitchie recently made a version of these. I knew as soon as I clapped eyes on them, I would be eating them in my own little kitchie some time soon after. Here's my take on them. The original recipe calls for feta and sour cream, but I used what I had in the fridge, which was goat cheese and mascarpone. I love a recipe that gives me a magnificent afternoon tea and cleans out my fridge at the same time... I need all the help I can get on the fridge cleaning front.

Goat Cheese, Chive and Mascarpone Scones
adapted from Joy the Baker
Makes 15

3 cups plain flour

1 tablespoon caster sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper

170g unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes

1 egg, beaten

3 tablespoons buttermilk

1/2 cup mascarpone

1/4 cup Greek yoghurt

1/3 chives, chopped

115g goat cheese, crumbled or pinched into small pieces

1 egg for egg wash

Sea salt flakes, cracked black pepper and smoked paprika for topping

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C.

Line a baking tray with baking paper and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and black pepper. Rub the butter into the flour, using your fingertips, until the mixture resembles a course meal. There should be some pea-size lumps of butter throughout.

In a small bowl or jug, combine the egg, buttermilk, mascarpone and yoghurt. Beat to combine. 

Add the wet ingredients to the dry mixture and stir until it just comes together. Add the chives and goat cheese. Turn the dough out onto a counter and knead it lightly, just until it comes together. It should only take about 10 kneads.

Roll the dough out to about a 2cm thickness. Cut 4.5 cm rounds using a cookie cutter. Gather up the remaining dough and roll it out and continue cutting rounds until you have use up the dough.

Place the rounds into the prepared baking tray, brush with egg wach and springle with sea salt flakes, cracked plack pepper and the smoked paprika.

Bake for 12-15 minutes.