Best Chef Johns Scones Recipes

BLUEBERRY SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Cut butter into mixture of flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add blueberries and toss to mix.
• In separate bowl beat together cream and egg, and slowly pour into dry ingredients, stirring with rubber scraper until dough forms. Knead just until it comes together, 3 or 4 times. Don't overhandle.
• Divide dough in half. On lightly floured board, shape each half into a 6-inch round. Cut into 6 wedges.
• Bake on ungreased sheet about 20 minutes at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Serve warm!!

CHEF JOHN'S PUMPKIN SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
• Whisk together 1 3/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until combined. Mix butter into flour mixture using a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Make a well in the center of the flour-butter mixture. Stir in pumpkin puree, buttermilk, and pine nuts until just combined.
• Sprinkle a work surface with 2 tablespoons flour. Turn out dough onto the floured work surface. Shape into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. Fold the rectangle in thirds, sprinkle with more flour as needed, and flatten to about 1 inch thick. Repeat 2 more times. Cut final rectangle into 6 equally-sized squares. Cut each square into triangles and transfer the scones to the prepared baking sheet.
• Whisk egg and milk together in a small bowl. Lightly brush the top of each scone with egg wash. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon sugar over scones.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

RASPBERRY-WHITE CHOCOLATE SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F (110 degrees C).
• Line a baking sheet with a silicone liner.
• Place fresh raspberries about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 4 hours, then turn oven off, leaving the berries inside for 8 hours, or overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with a silicone liner.
• Roughly chop dried raspberries into smaller pieces and measure out ½ cup for this recipe. Reserve any extra for another use.
• Grate white chocolate on the fine side of a grater until you have ½ cup.
• Whisk 2 cups flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder together in a mixing bowl. Grate cold butter into the flour mixture, tossing every so often to coat it with flour so it doesn't start to clump. When all butter has been added, work it into the flour with a pastry blender. Add grated white chocolate and toss with a fork to incorporate.
• Whisk ¾ cup milk and sour cream together in a liquid measure, then pour that into the flour mixture. Mix with a fork until everything just barely comes together to form a shaggy dough.
• Transfer dough to a generously floured work surface and without kneading, push and pack it together with your hands until it holds its shape, adding a little flour if it's too sticky. Press dough into a rectangle, about ¾-inch thick, and roughly twice as long as it is wide.
• Sprinkle dried raspberries evenly over the dough. Spread berries out almost to the edges and press them into the dough gently. Using a bench scraper, lift one third of the dough from one of the shorter edges and fold it in over the center third; press it down and square off the edges. Repeat with the other side so your scone dough is three layers thick.
• Cut the rectangle in half with the bench scraper, then cut each half into 2 triangles. Transfer scones to the prepared baking sheet.
• Whisk egg and 1 tablespoon milk together. Brush egg wash over each scone and sprinkle with sugar.
• Bake in the upper center of the preheated oven until browned, about 25 minutes.
• Quickly and carefully transfer to a rack and let cool completely before serving, about 30 minutes.

CHEF JOHN'S BOSTON CREAM PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Spray 2 (8-inch) cake pans with cooking spray.
• Stir yellow cake mix, 3 eggs, water, and vegetable oil in a bowl until moistened. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.
• Divide cake batter between the two prepared cake pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cakes have risen and are lightly golden brown, 33 to 38 minutes. Check for doneness after 25 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes should come out clean. Allow cakes to cool for about 10 minutes before removing from the pans. Cool cakes completely, about 40 minutes.
• Whisk 3 eggs, cornstarch, and sugar in a large bowl until well mixed and lemon colored, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside.
• Heat 1 cup heavy whipping cream, whole milk, and 1/2 tablespoon butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to boil.
• Reduce heat to low; pour egg mixture into cream mixture and whisk until thick, about 1 minute.
• Pour egg and cream mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl; discard any chunks.
• Whisk vanilla and salt into the egg and cream mixture until combined. Cover with a layer of plastic wrap pressed against the surface. Chill in refrigerator to form a pastry cream texture, 3 to 4 hours.
• Place chocolate in a large bowl. Heat 1 teaspoon butter and 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream in a saucepan over medium heat until butter is melted. Pour cream mixture over chocolate and whisk until smooth. Set aside until cooled, but still pourable, about 20 minutes.
• Place one cake layer on a plate, flat side up. Spread pastry cream to within 1-inch of the edge of cake. Place second cake layer on top, rounded side up. Press gently to push pastry cream to the edge. Pour chocolate mixture over top of the cake and spread so it drips over the edge.