Chocolate-Cherry Valentine Scones

 

1 1/2

cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1/3

cup sugar

1/3

cup unsweetened baking cocoa

2 1/2

teaspoons baking powder

1/2

teaspoon salt

1/3

cup butter, cut into 8 pieces

1/2

cup dried cherries

6

tablespoons whipping cream

1/2

teaspoon vanilla

1

egg, beaten

1/4

cup white vanilla baking chips

16

red candy melts or coating wafers (2 oz)

• 1 Heat oven to 400°F.
• 2 In large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through mixture in opposite directions), cut in butter until mixture looks like fine crumbs. Stir in cherries until coated with flour mixture. Stir in whipping cream, vanilla and egg just until liquid is absorbed into flour mixture.
• 3 Turn mixture out onto clean work surface; lightly knead 10 to 15 times or just until a dough forms. Using floured rolling pin or patting out with hands, roll dough into thick 15x2 1/2-inch rectangle.
• 4 With 2 1/2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut 7 scones by placing cookie cutter in opposite directions directly on cut edge of previous heart. Place dough hearts about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Reroll dough scraps into 5x2 1/2-inch rectangle. Cut 2 additional heart shapes from remaining dough; place on cookie sheet.
• 5 Bake 10 to 12 minutes or just until edges are set. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack.
• 6 In small resealable freezer plastic bag, place baking chips; seal bag. In another small resealable plastic bag, place red candy melts; seal bag. Microwave both filled bags on High 2 to 3 minutes, kneading bags twice, until chips and candy melts are melted. Cut off tiny bottom corner of each bag. Immediately squeeze bag with melted candy melts to drizzle melted candy over scones. Repeat with bag of melted baking chips. Let stand 10 minutes; serve warm.