Chocolate chips make EVERYTHING better, and scones are no exception! These rich, tender scones aren’t overly sweet, allowing the flavor of dark chocolate to shine through. Serve them as is, or spread with raspberry or apricot jam for one of those "big sigh" moments.

For ultra-tender texture, we like to use one of our lower-protein pastry flours in these scones. Use all-purpose if that’s what you have; the dough will be a bit stiffer. Scones will still be tasty, just not quite so tender.

2 1/2 cups (9 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached Pastry Flour or Mellow Pastry Blend (9 3/8 ounces)
heaping 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into pats
3/4 cup (6 ounces) cream–half and half, light, heavy, or whipping
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups to 2 cups (9 to 12 ounces) chocolate chips
coarse white sparkling sugar or demerara sugar, for topping

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) a baking sheet.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder till thoroughly combined. Add the butter, working it in until the mixture is unevenly crumbly.

Whisk together the cream , eggs, and vanilla. Set aside 2 tablespoons, and add the rest to the dry ingredients, along with the chocolate chips. Mix to form a moist dough.

Transfer the sticky dough to a heavily floured rolling mat or other work surface. Gently pat and round it into an 8" circle. Brush the dough with the reserved egg/cream mixture, and sprinkle heavily with coarse sugar.

Dip a 2" round cutter in flour, and use it to cut out a total of 16 scones; you’ll have to gather the scraps and reshape the dough once. Space the scones evenly on the prepared pan.

Bake the scones for 20 minutes, until they’re golden brown. Remove them from the oven, and serve warm. If not serving immediately or within a couple of hours, store in an airtight container. To reheat, wrap loosely in aluminum foil, and bake in a preheated 350°F oven for about 10 minutes. Yield: 16 to 18 3" scones (depending on the amount of chips you use).

Variation: Make cute little bite-sized (1 ¾") scones by using a 1 ½" cutter. Reduce the oven time to about 13 minutes, baking until scones are a light golden brown. Yield: about 40 to 45 scones, depending on the amount of chips you use.