Peppered Pear and Goat Cheese Scones

I could eat scones everyday. However I try to mix them up with lots of healthy muffins. And then sometimes I try and take not so healthy scones like this one and make them healthier. Sometimes it fails, like this time. (Other times it doesn't, like with these dill cheese scones.) I didn't even change that much - I just tried to use half whole wheat flour. And the scones turned out dry.

So of course I had to make them again, the original way. And while the unbaked dough was still really crumbly and hard to form into mounds, the resulting scones were soft and moist with nice crisp edges. The flavour combination in these scones - pepper, pear, goat cheese - was wonderful. I love pepper in savoury baked goods. So while it all worked out in the end and I did like the scones, I won't likely be making them again because I don't know about you, but crumbly dough really aggravates me!

Abby's new favourite sleeping spot (the back of a couch cushion).

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Tomato Rosemary Scones
A Dilly of a Cheese Scone
Cheddar and Black Pepper Scones
Apple Cheddar Scones

Peppered Pear and Goat Cheese Scones
Adapted from Savory Baking

Makes 6 scones

2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 medium pear, peeled, cored, and diced
4 ounces goat cheese, broken into large walnut-size pieces
1/2 cup 2% plain yogurt
2 tbsp milk

Preheat the oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Put the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and pepper in a medium bowl and stir together. Add the butter and break it into pea-size pieces with your fingertips. Sprinkle the pear pieces and crumbled goat cheese over the top of the flour mixture and gently toss together, being careful not to break the cheese into smaller pieces.

Soften the yogurt by whisking in the milk. Pour the yogurt over the flour mixture and gently blend the ingredients together with a spatula, being careful not to break up the cheese. The dough may look slightly dry, but it will produce a moist scone. Divide the dough into six equal mounds on the baking sheet, leaving about a 1inch space between each to allow for slight spreading.

Place the baking pan in the center of the oven and bake until lightly brown, about 25 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and place the scones on a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.