Paris Resto and Culinary: Chocolate Cherry Scones and Your Heart

You can find the original recipe in the current edition of Tea Time magazine. My version, however, has been completely overhauled. This is where I have your heart in mind! :0) I replaced the butter with olive oil, replaced some of the white flour with whole wheat, cut back on the sugar, added flax seed meal, replaced the heavy cream with skim milk, cut out the salt and replaced the cream cheese with neufchatel. The result is a heavenly scone that is better for your heart and that makes my heart warm. The new recipe looks nothing like the original, but it tastes fantastic! I was delighted with the results.

Stephanie's Version of Chocolate Cherry Scones

1-1/2 cup of all-purpose flour
1 cup of whole wheat flour
1/4 cup of sugar
2 tablespoons flax seed meal
1 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 cup olive oil
3 oz neufchatel cheese (or light cream cheese)
3/4 cup dried cherries, roughly chopped
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1/3 cup skim milk
1 tsp. vanilla or almond extract

Preheat oven to 375. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. (I actually used a baking stone instead.)

Combine flour, sugar, flax seed meal and baking powder.

Cut the neufchatel into chunks and add to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry blender, cut in the neufchatel as if it were butter. Mixture will be crumbly when you are done.

Add dried cherries and mini chocolate chips; mix.

In a separate bowl, combine milk, olive oil and extract. Whisk together then add to dry ingredients.

Stir just until moistened.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface (I use my Tupperware pie shell guide instead.) Shape the dough into 3/4 inch thick square or circle. This is important! Don't make it any thinner. You may need to sprinkle a little water here and there to get the dough to stick together.