I had some extra cream leftover from when I made smoked salmon and asparagus linguine the other night. I started to brainstorm how to use it. I also searched “how to use up extra cream” (because the internet has an answer for almost everything), and it gave me some good ideas.

But then, I thought of these scones. For some reason, cooking blogs or websites rarely include scones in their lists of things to make with heavy cream. Maybe it’s because some scone recipes call for whipping cream or milk instead of heavy cream. I have secret: It doesn’t matter.

You can use heavy cream to make scones and they will be as delicious, if not more delicious, than the alternative. Heavy cream has a higher fat content than whipping cream, which makes it thicker and more dense. However, it’s basically the same thing. The heavy cream in these scones made the dough buttery and moist. It prevented them from becoming too dry, which is the downfall of many a scone.

I decided to put dried tart cherries and dark chocolate chips in these scones because dark chocolate/cherry is one of my favorite flavor combos of all time. I like pairing tart with sweet, which is why fruit desserts are my favorite desserts. There’s a more complex flavor than something that’s pure sugar.

I’m going to avoid using the word moist again because it’s such a weird, uncomfortable word. But these scones have a light crumb, crunchy tops from the egg wash and extra sugar, and a tart, sweet interior. They’re perfect with a cup of tea in the morning or as a snack in the afternoon. Let’s be real: They’re good anytime.

In other news, it’s Friday and I’m pretty excited about it. Even though I’m still out of commission for most hikes and strenuous activities, I’m definitely here for spring and all the beauty it brings. I plan to spend this weekend at least partly outside on a blanket, reading and getting some sun.

Here’s a song to take you into the weekend.

Cherry Dark Chocolate Scones

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
5 Tbsp cold butter
2 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips/chunks
1/2 cup dried tart/sour cherries
1 tsp water
1 Tbsp turbinado or demerara sugar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Mix the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the butter and mix until the mixture forms coarse crumbs (kind of like sand). In a separate bowl, beat one egg and then mix in the heavy cream, vanilla, chocolate chips, and cherries. Pour into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. DO NOT overmix. You might have some loose butter and flour at the bottom but you can work it in the dough in the next step.

Lightly flour a surface and turn out the dough onto the surface. Knead a few times and then form the dough into a ball that’s seven inches in diameter and about an inch thick. Slice into eight equal triangles.

Whisk together another egg with a teaspoon of water and brush the mixture liberally on top of each scone with a pastry brush. Sprinkle sugar on top of each scone. Place the scones on the parchment paper-lined baking sheet spaced about an inch apart.

Bake the scones for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer the scones to a baking rack to let them cool. They will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days. Enjoy!