Heart-Shaped Dried Cherry and Chocolate Chip Scones

Okay, so you don’t have to make them heart-shaped. But aren’t they pretty this way? A far cry from the usual globs I throw down on my baking sheet to make scones. I got this recipe from Bon Appétit back in 2002 and it’s one of our favorites. You can cut these out (or make globs) the night before if you want and then refrigerate unbaked on a baking sheet. Pop them into the oven in the morning and they’ll be ready in about 15-20 minutes (20 minutes if refrigerated).

Freezing tip:  You can make scone dough ahead, put on baking sheet as you would to bake it (but don’t put milk glaze on), and throw in freezer this way to flash freeze. Once frozen, take them off and put in freezer bags and take out when you want to bake them. They’ll just take a few minutes longer in the oven.

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Heart-Shaped Dried Cherry and Chocolate Chip Scones

2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

7 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, diced

1 teaspoon (packed) grated orange peel

3/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup coarsely chopped dried tart cherries

2/3 cup chilled buttermilk

1 large egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Milk (for glaze)

Butter and flour baking sheet. Whisk 2 cups flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in large bowl. Add butter and grated orange peel; rub in with fingertips until coarse meal forms. Mix in chocolate chips and dried cherries. Whisk buttermilk, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and almond extract in small bowl to blend. Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients; stir with fork until dough comes together in moist clumps. Gather dough into ball. Press out dough on lightly floured surface to 3/4-inch thickness. Using 2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter (or larger), cut out scones. Gather scraps, press out dough and cut out additional scones. Transfer to baking sheet, spacing 1 inch apart. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Brush cones lightly with milk; sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake until scones are crusty on top and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 15 minutes (or up to 20 if refrigerated). Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes about 12.