Orange Chocolate Scones

Orange and chocolate are a classic pairing—the bright, citrusy acidity of the orange cuts through the richness of the chocolate perfectly. These scones are have a flaky, tender crumb. Chocolate orange scones go perfectly well with your morning cup of coffeee or afternoon tea. I have used almond flout along with cottage cheese to make them protein rich with a hint of sweetness.

Recipe

Dry ingredients

1 cup organic almond flour
1 3/4 cups A.P flour or combination of A.P & White Whole Wheat flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Wet ingredients

5 tablespoons cold cubed butter
2/3 cup cottage cheese(blended to get smooth consistency)

1/3 cup Orange juice (from the same orange used for zest)
1/2 tsp Orange extract
Zest of 1 orange*
1/3 cup organic sugar
1 cup dark or semisweet chcolate chips

Orange Glaze

1 tablespoon of orange juice
3 tablespoons organic powdered sugar

Please check out my video for step by step instructions.

Instructions

Prep: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C)/ airfryer 375°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix the orange zest with sugar. Use your fingertips to rub the zest into the sugar to release the oils and maximize the scent.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and orange zest -sugar.
Cut in the Butter: Add the cold butter to the flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter or two forks to work the butter in until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized lumps.
Pour blended cottage cheese, orange juice into the flour mixture. Stir gently with a fork just until a shaggy dough forms. Do not overmix.
Shape: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat it into an 8-inch circle (about 1 inch thick). Use a sharp knife or bench scraper to cut the circle into 8 wedges.
Bake: Place the wedges on the baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between them. Brush the tops with a little extra heavy cream and a sprinkle of sugar if desired. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.
Cool: Let them cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Optional: Drizzle with orange glaze.