Triple Chocolate Scones

These cake-like scones, created by Sophie Kaftal and Bobby Zielinski of Kitten and the Bear in Toronto, are a chocolate lover’s dream come true. “Somewhere between a scone and chocolate cake, chocolate scones are pure decadence – dark and rich, barely sweet with a delicate and fudgy crumb, studded with semisweet chocolate chips and a drizzle of chocolate icing for good measure,” the pair write in their new cookbook, Kitten and the Bear Cookbook: Recipes for Small Batch Preserves, Scones, and Sweets from the Beloved Shop. “These untraditional scones have a reputation of converting even scone purists.”

Kitten and the Bear's Triple Chocolate Scones

The Toronto bakery and tearoom shares their recipe for fudgy scones with extra chocolate chips and a chocolate drizzle.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Afternoon Tea, Breakfast, Brunch, Snack

Servings 16 scones

Ingredients

  

Scones

• 3¾ cups + 1 tbsp (574 g) all-purpose flour
• ½ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar
• 4½ tsp baking powder
• 1½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• ¾ lb (340 g) cold unsalted butter cut into cubes
• ½-¾ cup (60-90 g) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1½ cups (375 ml) buttermilk

Egg Wash

• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp water

Chocolate Drizzle

• ½ cup (60 gg) semisweet or dark chocolate chips
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter

Instructions

 

• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt to combine. Drop in the butter and rub into the flour mixture by rolling each cube of butter between your thumb and index finger until mostly incorporated, about 7 minutes. It will have a fine, fluffy texture but should hold together when squeezed. (Alternatively, you can use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed for 5 to 10 minutes. Scrape the flour mixture into a large bowl.) Add the chocolate chips and toss to distribute evenly.
• Create a well in the centre of the flour mixture. Pour the buttermilk into the well and stir quickly with a fork until a shaggy dough forms, 30 to 60 seconds. The buttermilk should be fully incorporated, and there may still be some dry, crumbly bits in the bottom of the bowl.
• Dust a work surface generously with flour. Stack the shaggy dough, a handful at a time, onto the work surface to form a layered mound. On the final handful, press the dough into any dry mix in the bottom of the bowl to push as much as possible into the dough. Press down on the dough with your hands to shape it into a rough 10-inch circle, about 1¼ inches thick. (The circle doesn’t have to be perfect.) Cut the dough in half, and then place one half top side down on the other half. Press down on the dough again to form it into an 11- to 12-inch circle, about ¾ inch thick. (The stacking and cutting process will create layers within the scones.)
• Use a 2½-inch-round cookie cutter to punch out rounds, cutting them as close together as possible to maximize the yield. Gather the scraps and press them together (don’t knead or reroll) and punch out more rounds. Transfer the scones to a container in a single layer and chill in the freezer for 4 hours. If you plan to bake the scones later, allow them to freeze, and store them in a resealable plastic bag or airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 month. Bake from frozen.
• Prepare the egg wash and bake the scones: Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Remove the scones from the freezer and arrange on the lined baking sheet, 2 to 3 inches apart. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water. Using a pastry brush, brush the tops of the scones evenly with the egg wash. Bake for 35 minutes, or until firm to the touch, rotating the pan after 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer the scones to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, in a small heat-resistant bowl, melt the chocolate chips and butter in the microwave on high in 10-second intervals, stirring well after each interval, until the chocolate is shiny but with a few unmelted chips remaining in the mixture, about 30 seconds total. Remove from the microwave and stir until completely melted.
• Using a spoon, drizzle the melted chocolate on top of the scones. Let sit to harden for 5 to 10 minutes. Store the scones in a vented plastic container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

More recipes from Kitten and the Bear

Kitten and the Bear's Signature Buttermilk Scones

Kitten and the Bear in Toronto shares the recipe for their signature buttermilk scones.

Get the recipe

Lemon Cream Marmalade

A recipe for sweet and creamy lemon marmalade from Kitten and the Bear tearoom in Toronto.

Get the recipe

Cucumber Tea Sandwiches

Toronto tearoom Kitten and the Bear shares their recipe for classic cucumber tea sandwiches with a creamy spinach spread.

Get the recipe

Excerpted from Kitten and the Bear, Inc. Copyright © 2024 Kitten and the Bear, Inc. Photography by Johanna Martin. Published by Penguin, an imprint of Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.