i met emma as we both frantically took notes during survey 1 in the history of decorative arts and design program at parsons. i remember standing next to her at the photocopy machine that very first semester when she told me that she really wanted to be a baker. my first thought was ‘what are you doing here?’ closely followed by ‘wonder if she’ll bring treats to class?’

emma graduated from parsons in may and has managed to marry her two loves – she teaches the history of decorative arts to aspiring interior designers and she just started dulcinea. in addition to making specialty cakes and baked goods for order, the cornerstone of the business is emma’s weekly delivery of  baked goods, which are inspired by the best seasonal produce available. it’s a csa for baked goods! (wouldn’t it be the perfect gift for a new mom or newlyweds?) although after sampling way too many herb and gruyere scones, i can safely say that this is a gift that would make anyone smile! -amy a

CLICK HERE for the full recipe after the jump!

Why Emma chose this recipe:
The Cheese Board, in Berkeley, California, is one of my absolute favorite places. Part specialty cheese shop, part bakery, and part cafe, it is a happily functioning collective at which I’ve often dreamed of working (too bad I live on the East Coast!). It’s just around the corner from my aunt’s house, and whenever I’m in town, I make it a point to visit and try something new.

The Cheese Board’s cookbook is as wonderfully fulfilling as the physical shop—I’ve tried many recipes from it, and they’re all great. A couple months ago, one of my Weekly Delivery customers asked me if I would ever consider delivering savory baked goods. I immediately thought of a cheese scone in the cookbook that I had been wanting to try. I adapted the recipe to my own tastes and tested it out. It’s perfect. I always love sweets, and I especially love using the produce from my farmers’ market to make those sweets, but as the air gets cooler and farmers are shifting gears to their fall stock, I’m squeezing this scone into my deliveries, to be eaten with a bowl of soup, a sliced apple, or just on its own.

Gruyere and Herb Scones, adapted from The Cheese Board: Collective Works

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons finely ground yellow cornmeal
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
½ pound Gruyere cheese, grated
½ cup chopped herbs (I like thyme and chives)
½ cup heavy cream
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg, beaten

Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with a baking mat or parchment paper. Sprinkle lightly with cornmeal.

Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cayenne pepper, and salt together into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add cornmeal and whisk together.

Add the butter to the dry ingredients, and, using the paddle attachment, beat on low speed until butter is the size of small peas. Add the Gruyere and herbs and mix just until the ingredients are evenly distributed. Put the buttermilk and cream together in one bowl or liquid measuring cup, and then slowly add to the mixture on low speed until it is just combined and there is a little flour left on the bottom of the bowl. You may not need all of the liquid!

Empty the contents of the bowl onto a floured surface. Pat the dough together and work in any pieces of dry dough. Sprinkle some flour on the top of the dough, and, either using a rolling pin or just your hands, press the dough until it is about 1 ½ inches thick. Using a circular cookie cutter, dipped in a little flour each time, cut out the scones. Feel free to roll any scraps together and cut those, too. (Alternatively, you can shape the mound of dough into a rectangle about 9 by 6 inches, divide the dough in half lengthwise, and then cut each piece into 6 even triangles.)

Place scones onto prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Brush the beaten egg onto the tops of the scones and bake for about 30 minutes, rotating the pan about halfway through, or until light brown on top.

Yields about 12 smaller scones or 6 big scones.