Parmesan Herb Scones

I cooked brunch this past Sunday for my good friend and myself.  The deal was that she would bring the drinks and I would cook some fantastic brunchy type foods.  Personally, I've never quite understood brunch.  I feel like it's for people who just don't know whether they like breakfast or not, or hobbits who have already had breakfast and are now ready for a mid-morning snack.  Let's just call it what it is.  Second breakfast.

For you hobbits out there, here is a recipe for scones that I modified from one I found in December's Bon Appétit.  I've had these scones for breakfast, second breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and I'm still eating them.  Naturally, if you aren't a clotted cream fan, you can pile the butter on them.  But, true hobbits eat them with clotted cream.  Brits too, I recon.  Enjoy!

Parmesan Herb Scones

Makes about 16 scones

Modified from Bon Appétit

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. smoked paprika

4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting

1 cup chilled butter, diced

3 oz. grated Parmesan cheese, grated

2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh chives

1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary

1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh thyme

3 large eggs

1 cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing

1. Preheat oven to 400°F
2. Whisk baking powder, sea salt, paprika, and flour together in a large mixing bowl until blended
3. Rub the butter into the flour mixture until there are no large pieces of butter and you have a crumbly texture
4. Mix in the cheese and herbs
5. Make a well in the center of the bowl and add the eggs and cream
6. With your hands (or a fork, whatever), slowly mix the dry ingredients into the liquid until you end up with a shaggy dough
7. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll out to about an inch thickness
8. Cut into 16 even scones (I cut diagonally to create diamonds)
9. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and divide the scones among them
10. Brush the tops of the scones with heavy cream
11. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, rotating half-way through
12. Serve warm with clotted cream!