Brown Bread Scones (Irish)

These savoury Irish Brown Bread Scones, kicked up with chives, are the perfect accompaniment to a bowl of soup.

4 cups whole-wheat flour
1½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. sea salt
¼ cups butter, very cold, cubed
1 Tbsp. fresh chives, chopped
1½ cup buttermilk, chilled

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C/180°C fan, Gas Mark 6).

Sift flour, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl.

Using your fingertips, rub the cold butter cubes into the dry ingredients, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the chopped chives.

Make a well in the center of the flour and butter mixture and pour in your buttermilk. Stir until just combined.

Remove the dough to a lightly floured surface and kneed until the dough is smooth, about 5 minutes.

Form a large ball of dough and cut into quarters. Divide each quarter into thirds. Shape the dough into rough balls and score the tops of each scone with an x, cutting just about ¼″ deep.

Bake 15 minutes, or until the scones are cooked all the way through and are just beginning to take on colour.