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Sunday
Mar042012

Chocolate Toffee Scones

Chocolate Toffee Scones

There is a brunch served in a nearby restaurant that I dream about on Sunday mornings. I use the term "nearby" loosely—it is a three hour North Dakota drive away, but I find myself there more often than you'd think. I always eat too much, as one does when faced with a buffet line of dozens of favorite brunch delicacies. There are the scones, the eggs Benedict, the biscuits and gravy, and the pasta dishes (of which I make sure to sample at least once).

However, the french toast is the reason I keep coming back.

Chocolate Toffee Scones

Like an ice cream sundae bar lined with the best toppings, so does this restaurant treat their french toast. Oreos, nuts, chocolate shavings, and crumbled heath bars accompany the crushed strawberries, the jellied blueberries, and the classic maple syrup. It's a brunch lover's dream come to fruition. And mine, all mine, for the taking.

This brunch is where I discovered my true love for toffee. Atop a hot piece of french toast drowned in maple syrup, I crumbled these chocolate toffee pieces, allowing the chocolate to melt and pool over the top of the french toast while the toffee retained its textured crunch. Though I considered this my "dessert," it was never rare to go back for seconds or thirds of this sweet, indulgent treat.

As long as I ignored the sidelong glances of my concerned, horrified companions, nothing would stand between me and my coveted french toast.

Chocolate Toffee Scones

Since discovering my weakness for chocolate and toffee, I've found myself imagining all of the terrifically wicked ways to use it in every day baking. As an homage to the toffee-covered french toast that started this madness, I thought scones would be a fitting first start. We can save my other toffee-covered fantasies for later.

A decadent breakfast every now and then never hurts anybody, right?

Chocolate Toffee Scones

These Chocolate Toffee Scones are subtle, kind, and never too sweet. The sweetness comes from the multitude of chocolate toffee pieces scattered throughout the delicate scone. Never to be outdone, I dipped the bottoms of the scones in a rich chocolate glaze to give an added touch of chocolate. These are delicious with a cup of coffee for an afternoon snack, but if you choose to eat them for breakfast with a cup of tea I won't send a judging glance your way.

One Year Ago: Coconut Cream Cupcakes

Chocolate Toffee Scones

Yields 8-10 scones, depending on size

Toffee Scones
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons butter, cold and cubed
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 large egg
1 cup chocolate toffee pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until mixture resembles a coarse sand. Alternatively, if using a stand mixer, mix in butter with paddle attachment until butter is pea-sized or smaller. Mix in the chocolate toffee pieces.

In a small bowl, whisk together the heavy whipping cream and egg until well blended. Pour cream into scone mixture and mix until it comes together as a dough (you may need to add a tablespoon or two more cream if dough is too dry).

On a lightly floured surface, place dough and form into a circle, flattening the top until dough is roughly an inch thick. Cut dough into 8 pie-shaped pieces (or use a 1-1/2 inch to 2 inch round cookie cutter to cut out scones) and transfer to a baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until scones are lightly browned. Allow to cool to room temperature before glazing.

Chocolate Glaze
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons butter

In a small saucepan over medium low heat, melt together chocolate chips and butter until smooth. Remove from heat.

Dip each scone bottom into the chocolate glaze and set on a parchment lined baking sheet for glaze to set. Place remaining glaze into a plastic bag, cut off a corner, and drizzle chocolate on top of scones for an extra touch.

Reader Comments (20)

These look AMAZING! I love the occasional decadent breakfast...toffee french toast sounds absolutely delicious as well! I conveniently have a bag of chocolate toffee bits in my pantry and now I know exactly what I'm going to use them for!
Oh my! I have made way too many scone recipes in the past couple of days, bt now I really need to make these. They look so delicious, especially with the chocolate bottom. These are going straight to my "To Bake" list. :D
Oh man!! I am all over these :) AMAZING idea!!
03.4.2012 | Unregistered CommenterSydney Jones
These are the prettiest scones I have ever seen. Stunning pictures!
03.4.2012 | Unregistered CommenterJen
These are my kind of scone! Love this!
I love the chocolate and toffee combo so I know I would dig these scones!
03.5.2012 | Unregistered CommenterSpencer
I discovered toffee when I was in middle school. This girl was giving out bags of homemade toffee and she was kind enough to give me one and man-oh-man, it was the best thing ever! How come my mom never made or bought toffee? Oh right, cause she's a strict Korean mom and didn't let me have any sweets in the house.

Anyway, that's my discovery. Your scones look freaking gorgeous. Coffee and toffee are seriously a match made in heaven, like burgers and fries, and apples and cinnamon. Can't wait to give these a try. I need to catch up on all the toffee that I missed in the first 12 years of my life! :)
Oh my these look amazingly decadant and delicious!!! I love chocolate and toffee.
03.5.2012 | Unregistered CommenterJennifer
I absolutely love the combination of chocolate and toffee - these look insanely good! And as for that brunch? Wow, wish I had somewhere like that round the corner from me (or 3 hours away...actually that might be better to keep me from becoming the size of a house!)
03.5.2012 | Unregistered Commenterthelittleloaf
These scones look delicious. I'm loving the quotes you've started to include with your pictures. They make me happy and are good reminders of why we love food and why food brings us together.
Your scones look delicious, & I'd love to try them, but, as much as I hate to admit it, I'm not sure what chocolate toffee pieces are? Should I be looking in the candy section for a certain chocolate bar to break into pieces, or in the baking isle where chocolate chips are?
Thank you.
03.5.2012 | Unregistered CommenterJay
Jay-- The baking section usually has chocolate toffee pieces with the chocolate chips. If not there, you can break up a health bar or two into little pieces.
03.5.2012 | Registered CommenterKristin Rosenau
I love how the drizzle of chocolate on the top matches the look of the cooling rack. Beautiful photos as always.
Toffee? YUM!
03.5.2012 | Unregistered CommenterElizabeth
Oh my, these look exceptional
03.5.2012 | Unregistered CommenterCathleen
Absolutely stunning!! I adore toffee and chocolate! Love!
Wow! I was looking for ideas for a tea for my daughter's bridal shower. Just a different take on the usual. Me thinks, you have hit the ball out of the ballpark. I can't wait to make these and serve them. Of course, I will give you all the credit with a smile! Fantastic recipe and I can't wait to taste them.
03.7.2012 | Unregistered CommenterMaryann
Can you tell me what restaurant has this wonderful french toast buffet...I love brunch buffets especially ones with yummy french toast...P.S. I WILL be making these scones!
03.9.2012 | Unregistered CommenterCandice
Oh my gosh! These look fantastic!! :)

Thanks for sharing!!
xo Jenny Holiday
06.17.2012 | Unregistered Commenterjenny holiday
i just made these and substituted the heavy cream with half and half since that was the only thing i had in my fridge and it turned out wonderful! love the recipe! thanks for sharing!
12.2.2012 | Unregistered Commenternurse angela

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