Triple Chocolate Malt & Sea Salt Scones: Sweetness with Saline Brush

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. A well-heated oven is crucial for the ideal growth of scones.

In a large bowl, sift and mix the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and malt powder. Use a wire whisk to ensure all dry ingredients are well incorporated and aerated.

Add the cold butter cubes to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingertips, incorporate the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, with some small pieces of butter still visible. This creates steam pockets that make the scones fluffy.

Add the three types of chopped chocolate (semi-sweet, milk, and white) to the flour and butter mixture. Gently mix so the chocolate pieces are evenly distributed throughout the batter, ensuring a rich flavor in every bite.

Make a well in the center of the dry mixture. Pour in the cold buttermilk and mix with a spatula or your hands until the dough just comes together. The dough should be slightly sticky; the secret of this recipe is not to knead too much, just enough to combine.

Transfira a massa para uma superfície levemente enfarinhada. Press it gently with your hands, forming a disc about 2 to 2.5 cm thick. Avoid excessive handling to not develop gluten, which would make the scones hard.

With a 6 cm (2.5 inch) round cookie cutter, or a sharp knife, cut the dough into scones. Gather the remaining pieces of dough, press them together again and cut more scones, repeating the process as few times as possible to maintain lightness.

Arrange the scones on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a little space between them. Brush the surface of each scone with the beaten egg, which will help create a beautiful golden color and a shiny finish when baking.

Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, or until they are golden on the surface and cooked through. They should have risen significantly and be firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool.

While the scones cool, prepare the glaze: In a small bowl, mix the chopped bittersweet chocolate, butter, and glucose syrup. Heat in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between them, until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. The professional technique is to melt slowly to avoid burning the chocolate.

Add the whole milk to the melted frosting and mix well until smooth and shiny. If the glaze is too thick, add a little more milk, one teaspoon at a time, until it reaches the desired pouring consistency.

With the warm scones, drizzle them generously with the chocolate glaze. Finish immediately by sprinkling fleur de sel over the glaze before it dries, ensuring the characteristic salty contrast of the recipe and enhancing all flavors. Serve immediately.