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1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
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2. In a small bowl, whisk the egg with the buttermilk and Dijon mustard until smooth, then refrigerate to keep cold.
1 cup buttermilk, cold,
1 piece large egg,
1 tsp Dijon mustard
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3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, fine sea salt, and black pepper until well combined.
2 cup all-purpose flour,
2.5 tsp baking powder,
0.5 tsp granulated sugar,
0.8 tsp fine sea salt,
0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
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4. Add the cold unsalted butter to the flour mixture and cut it in with a pastry cutter or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized bits of butter.
6 tbsp unsalted butter, cold
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5. Stir in the grated sharp cheddar cheese, chives, and thyme, tossing to coat them evenly in the flour mixture.
1.2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated,
0.2 cup fresh chives, finely sliced,
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped (optional)
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6. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, pour in the chilled buttermilk mixture, and gently fold with a spatula just until a thick, sticky dough forms without dry patches.
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7. Using a spoon or small scoop, drop mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them apart to allow for spreading.
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8. Gently pat the tops to round them slightly, then brush each with heavy cream or milk and sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt.
1 tbsp heavy cream or milk (for brushing),
0.2 tsp flaky sea salt (for sprinkling)
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9. Bake the scones for 12 to 15 minutes, or until puffed and deeply golden on top and around the edges.
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10. Transfer the scones to a wire rack and let cool for at least 5 minutes, then serve warm, ideally with tea or coffee.
By mansi