I know, I know today may NOT be your favorite day of the year--but here is a little something to sweeten the deal.

One of my dear friends is a trained pastry chef (always a good friend to have). She shared this recipe last year and it has since become a favorite among family and friends. 

In honor of Valentine's Day and sharing the love, we're sharing it will all of you. What makes it great? It strikes the right balance of sweet and it is shockingly simple to make. Pair it with a cup of tea or a light breakfast and package some up and surprise a loved one. 

Enjoy and stay sweet,

K&M

Buttermilk Cherry Chocolate Scones

• 2 c. All-purpose flour
• 1/4 c. Granulated sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. Orange zest ( I used the zest Meyer lemon since that I had on hand)
• 8 Tb. (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold
• 3/4 c dried cherries
• 1/2 c semi sweet chocolate chunks or chips
• 2/3 c. Buttermilk (if you don't have buttermilk add 1 T vinegar to 1 cup of milk and let sit for 5minutes)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and orange zest with a whisk.

Cut butter into cubes and add to the flour. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut/scissor the butter into the flour mixture until it is a fine texture and looks like cornmeal with evenly dispersed chunks of butter.

Stir in cherries and chocolate. Make a well in the center and add the buttermilk. Stir until the dough becomes wet and sticky. Turn out onto a floured work surface. It's okay if there are still some dry bits at the bottom, just press them into the dough. Knead the dough 2-3 times gently, but no more. Pat the dough into a 1" thick circle. Cut into 8 wedges or use a heart cookie cutter.

If using cinnamon sugar as a topper, combine ingredients and press the top of each scone into the cinnamon sugar and place evenly spaced on the baking sheet. 

Bake until firm to the touch and lightly golden brown, 15-20 minutes.