This is a sponsored post on behalf of Dairy Farmers of Canada.
I’ve often said that I’ve never met a cheese I didn’t like, but that wasn’t always the case… in fact, there was a long period in my life when the only use I had for blue cheese was as a dip for my buffalo wings. It was simply too sharp, too pungent, too overwhelming for my brie-loving palate.
Thankfully, that hasn’t been the case for quite some time, so I very much enjoyed this month’s pick from the Dairy Farmers of Canada, a lovely blue cheese called Dragon’s Breath from That Dutchman’s Cheese Farm in Nova Scotia.
Dragon’s Breath a soft and creamy blue cheese, which arrives as a softball-sized nugget coated with dark blue wax. To serve it, you slice away the top of the wax to reveal the cheese inside, which makes it a strikingly beautiful addition to any cheese board.
Flavour-wise, this one is very much up my alley… I’m still learning to love some of the crumblier, sharper blues, but this one is very much a crowd-pleasing blue, with a mild creamy flavour.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s still got a that unmistakable blue cheese funk, but it’s tempered with a mellow creaminess and a soft spreadable consistency that’s perfect for smearing on a hunk of crusty bread.
It’s that spreadable texture that got me thinking of pairing the Dragon’s Breath with these flaky two-bite scones that are flavoured with a combination of dried pear and walnuts - two classic pairings for blue cheese.
To show off the sweetness of the dried pears and the sharpness of the blue cheese, I deliberately kept the scones on the savoury side by using as little sugar as I could get away with, and adding a little whole wheat flour to give them a heartier texture than a traditional white flour scone.
The end result is a batch of dainty little scones that are equal parts sophisticated and old-fashioned, kind of like the cheese that inspired them.
Paired together with some fresh fruit or your favourite jam, this duo of cheese and scones makes for a rather elegant twist on the usual Mother’s Day tea, especially if your mom doesn’t have much of a sweet tooth.
Oh, and if mom isn’t a fan of blue cheese, these scones are pretty amazing with a milder cheese. Try a gooey soft-rind cheese like brie, or a sharper, nuttier cheese like aged gouda. Or just go the traditional route and slather them with clotted cream, which is pretty awesome too.
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Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Dairy Farmers of Canada. Thanks for supporting the brands that keep the Crumb Test Kitchen running! All opinions, as always, are entirely my own.
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Mini Pear and Walnut Scones
- Total Time: 40 mins
- Yield: 24 1x
Description
These adorable little scones are packed full of chunks of dried pear and walnut, making them the perfect partners for a mild, creamy blue cheese like Dragon's Breath.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup whole wheat flour
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- ¾ cup chopped dried pears
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 5 tbsp heavy cream, divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut in the cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Stir in the dried pears and walnuts, then add the buttermilk and ¼ cup cream, and gently mix until the dough just barely comes together. (If the dough looks too dry, add more cream, 1 tbsp at a time, until the dough starts to come together.)
- Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface lightly dusted with flour, and gently knead 5-6 times to finish incorporating any floury bits. Roll out the dough to 1" thick, and cut out the scones using a 1" round cutter, gathering up the scraps and re-rolling until you have 24 scones.
- Arrange the scones on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them ½" apart. Brush the tops with remaining 1 tbsp cream.
- Bake scones in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Brunch
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Canadian
Kacey @ The Cookie Writer says
Thank you for being honest! I LOVE cheese but blue has always been down on the list for me. But this Dragon's Breath... SOOOO good! I love the flavours you have here and I'm going to send this recipe to my friend because she is a way better baker than me and I deserve to be spoiled ;)
The Food Hunter says
Pinning I will be making this soon
Kirsten/ComfortablyDomestic says
These scones sound like a perfect pairing for a creamy cheese with a bit of "funk" going on.
Jennifer Farley says
What a fantastic name for a cheese! Blue is one of my favorites. These scones sound spectacular!
Isabelle Boucher says
Right? I have a soft spot for cheeses with fun names. :)
Mardi (eat. live. travel. write.) says
Walnuts, pears and blue cheese is a classic combination - these look like a great addition to any cheese board or brunch table!
Jessica @Savory Experiments says
I never think to make scones. These look delightful!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Those sound sooooo delicious, I want some now!!
Shareba says
I haven't found a blue cheese that I really like yet, but this one looks tempting... I like that it's mild in flavour. It might be a good place for me to start in my blue cheese adventures! I love the colour of the wax! You're right, it would look really cool on a cheese board. I'll have to keep an eye out for this cheese next time I'm shopping!
Colleen Kennedy says
To date I need to mask Blue cheese. Guess I am like you were. My husband and sister are bonkers for it in any form. I'm a huge bread lover, so I am thinking these biscuits I would totally be into. A great addition to a brunch!
Sean@Diversivore says
I adore a good, soft, mild blue. Don't get me wrong, I like some of the more crumbly and powerful blues too, but these ones are certainly a little easier to work with. The scone sounds absolutely BRILLIANT. I love that you took it in a more savoury direction, and the walnuts and pears are amazing (two of my favourite flavours to partner with blue cheese as a matter of fact). Well done! Can't wait to see what the next cheese brings!