This last Christmas, I visited the Disneyland Hotel for afternoon tea for the very first time. My hubby and I had a wonderful time, but on the way out I passed by a table of kids only to realize that we hadn’t tried the iconic Mickey Mouse Chocolate Chip Scones! What a bummer!I recently went back to Disneyland for tea on a regular (non-holiday) weekend and made sure order one of those mouse-shaped, chocolate-speckled scones. Oh boy…were they delicious!So here is my gift to you, a copycat recipe for those of you who love both Mickey Mouse and a scrummy chocolate chip scone. I made these for my niece and my sister (who have also been to tea at Disneyland) and the taste-testers agreed that these are exactly like the scones there, and, dare I say–even more delicious!There are a few tricks to keep in mind when making these scones. The first tip is to make sure that you have a Mickey Mouse cookie cutter. One that’s about 3 1/2″ is ideal. Too large and your scones will start to look like bread, too small and you won’t be able to get a defined shape.
Another tip is to make sure that your chocolate chips are mini. You’ll want to chill the cut scones for about 20 minutes in the freezer before baking them in an up-to-temp, super-hot oven. Both of these tips will help Mickey’s silhouette to be distinct and recognizable.The smell of these baking up in your kitchen is the best thing ever. I love to enjoy these with tangy raspberry jam and some whipped or Devonshire cream. Share a batch of these Mickey Mouse Chocolate Chip Scones with your family, and as far as I’m concerned your home will be the second Happiest Place on Earth!Mickey Mouse Chocolate Chip Scones
Makes 12 large scones.
Ingredients:
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, straight from fridge, cut into small cubes
2 cups mini chocolate chips
3/4 cup heavy cream, cold
2 eggs, beaten, cold
1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp sparkling sugar crystals
bench flour
{Egg Wash}
1 egg, beaten
2 tsp heavy cream
Equipment:
2 large baking sheets, fitted with parchment
mixing bowls
work surface
rolling pin
pastry brush
cooling rack
Directions:
1. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the cubes of butter and use the tips of your fingers to “cut” the butter into the flour into pea-sized dots. Work quickly and minimize your contact with the butter. If the butter starts to get too soft, return this flour-butter mix into the fridge to cool for a few minutes.
2. In another mixing bowl, beat the heavy cream, egg and vanilla together. Pour this entire mixture into the dry mix, then use a spatula to combine until the dry ingredients are just moistened. Transfer this mass over to a work surface generously dusted with flour. With floured hands, very lightly knead the mass together to form a cohesive dough round.
3. Use a generously dusted rolling pin to flatten the round to a 1″ thickness. Dip the cookie cutter in bench flour, then use it to cut out the scones. Scraps can be gathered, lightly kneaded and re-rolled to cut out more scones. Place 6 scones on each large baking sheet, at least 1″ apart.
4. Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. While the oven is coming up to temperature, place the 2 finished baking sheets of scones into the freezer to rest. When the oven comes up to temp (about 20 minutes later), brush the tops of the scones with an egg wash of egg beaten with cream.
5. Finish the scones with a light sprinkle of sparkling sugar. Bake the scones for 15-20 minutes, until the tops of the scones are golden brown. Remove from the oven and immediately transfer to a cooling rack to cool. Enjoy warm with jam and whipped or Devonshire cream.