CARAMEL CHOCOLATE CHIP SCONES
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour (plus a little extra for work surface)
1/4 cup sugar/Splenda..................................................6 TB cold butter, cut into cubes
2-1/2 tsp. baking powder……………………………..…..1/2 tsp. salt
6 TB cold butter………………………………………..…......1 tsp. caramel syrup or ice cream topping
1 egg…………………………………………………..……...........1/2 tsp. caramel extract
5 TB Caramel liquid coffee creamer (can be sugar-free)
about 1/4 cup chocolate chips (can be sugar-free)
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1-2 TB Sparkling or coarse sugar (or regular white Splenda)
extra Caramel liquid coffee creamer
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Glaze options below
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Preheat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until combined. (Or, I just pulse them a few times in food processor). Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs (or, then add the butter cubes to the food processor, and pulse quickly until coarse crumbs).
In a small bowl, whisk together the caramel creamer, egg, caramel syrup and extract. Stir into wet ingredients into flour mixture just until moistened. (I put this into the food processor with rest of ingredients, and pulse in short bursts until it all comes together).
Turn onto lightly floured surface; knead gently 6-8 times. Pat into 8” circle and cut into 8 wedges. Brush extra caramel coffee creamer on top of the scones. Sprinkle with Sparkling sugar or plain white Splenda.
Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Best when warm (can be reheated for about 15 sec. in microwave). When they’re cool, you can drizzle with glaze.
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GLAZE Options:
(1) I used chocolate ganache that I had leftover in the refrigerator, and stirred in a little bit of caramel coffee creamer until thick. I like to use ganache because it hardens quickly, so you can stack or ship the scones without the glaze smudging.
(2) Easy Glaze: Whisk some caramel coffee creamer into about 2-3 TB canned chocolate frosting (both can be sugar-free). You can also add in about 1 tsp. caramel syrup, if you want. Whisk until smooth, thick drizzle consistency. If you want to firm it up faster (and have it harden faster), whisk in about 1-2 tsp. cornstarch too.
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2-Ingredient CHOCOLATE GANACHE
1 good quality chocolate bar (semi-sweet, dark, or unsweetened)
(NOTE: This Lindt 90% Cocoa Supreme Dark bar has only 3 g. sugar per 4 squares, so it would have negligible sugar per muffin or cookie)
probably about 1/4 to 1/2 cup half-and-half (depends on size of your chocolate bar)
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I use a 2 cup pyrex measuring cup and put the chocolate bar in there (broken into pieces or squares). Heat for 45 seconds in the microwave. Stir and see if it's melted through ~ if not, put back in for another 15 seconds. Take it out and stir with a small spoon, until all the chocolate is melted.
Now, gradually add in the half-and-half (stirring or whisking constantly). It WILL seize up (harden), but just add more half-and-half and keep stirring. After about 4 additions of half-and-half, it should be nice and smooth, and thick enough to spread (add a touch more half-and-half, if you want to drizzle it).
After I'm done using it, I put all of the leftover ganache (use a rubber scraper to get it all) into a small, covered glass container. When I want to use it again, take off the top and microwave for about 25 seconds. Stir and use. (I usually tape a label on the top because I have so many extra frostings in my refrigerator ~ but if you have "chocoholics" in the house, you might want to skip the label or label it something else because this IS delicious with a spoon right out of the refrigerator! it tastes like fudge.)