Chocolate and Orange Scones with Orange Curd

Mornings at my house...

     With a container of orange curd in my refrigerator, left-over from my daughter's birthday cake last weekend, what could be better than freshly-baked Chocolate Orange Scones spread with Orange Curd?

                          adapted from a Gourmet | April 1996 recipe

• 4 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons orange zest, preferably organic
• 1 cup cold, unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• heavy cream
• Raw sugar (Turbinado or Demerara)

1.  PREHEAT OVEN to 400˚F.  Position oven racks in upper third and lower third of the oven.
2.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
3.  In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Pulse briefly to combine.
4.  In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, and orange zest.  Set aside.
5.  Add the chilled butter to ingredients in the bowl of the food processor.  Pulse until butter is the size of small peas.  Pour this mixture into the bowl containing buttermilk and eggs; stir quickly with wooden spoon just to combine and then stir in chocolate.  Pour the mixture onto a work surface and knead briefly.  Flatten the dough into a 3/4-inch thick rectangle.  Using a sharp knife, cut the dough evenly into 12 squares.  Transfer 6 squares to each of the baking sheets.  Brush the top of each scone with heavy cream and sprinkle generously with the raw sugar.
6.  Place baking sheets on the upper and lower racks of the oven.  Bake for about 20 minutes, switching the position of baking sheets half-way through baking (10 minutes). 
7.  Transfer the scones to a cooling rack.  Serve scones with Orange Curd.

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