• 4 Cups flour
• 1/2 Cup sugar
• 1/2 Cup brown sugar — firmly packed
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 2 Teaspoons baking soda
• 2 Teaspoon salt
• 3/4 Cup unsalted butter — chilled and cut into small pieces
• 1 Cup buttermilk
• 2 eggs — lightly beaten
• 1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 Teaspoon orange zest — grated
• 10 Ounces semisweet chocolate — chopped
• 1/2 Cup crystallized ginger — finely chopped

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375. Combine first 6 ingredients in a food processor or bowl. Add butter and process until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Combine next 4 ingredients in a separate bowl. Mix thoroughly. Add liquid ingredients to flour mixture. Very gently stir until dough is just moistened and begins to cling together. Stir in chocolate and ginger. The less this dough is handled the better the results will be.

Drop dough onto an ungreased baking sheet in 1/3 cup amounts. Leave at least 1 inch between scones. Bake 15-17 minutes or until scones are golden. Cool on wire rack at least 5 minutes before removing from baking sheet.

Serves 12.

NOTE – If you don’t have buttermilk handy, you can substitute as follows:
– take 1 cup of milk (or milk substitute like soy milk);
– add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar;
– allow the soured milk to stand for 10 minutes before adding to recipe.

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Photography by sirbrillig