I have been experimenting with savoury scones this week and I’m really pleased with the end result – Spanish themed spicy Olive and Chorizo Scones with Manchego Cheese!

I finished up the Christmas sweets, chocolates and cake during January and felt perhaps that after a mostly meat free January a sugar free February might be a good idea!

I do however like to have a snack with my cup of tea but after all it doesn’t have to be a sweet one. The only savoury scones I generally make are cheese scones so felt I needed to be a bit more adventurous.

One of my most successful attempts were some scones made using olives, red peppers, manchego cheese, chorizo, smoked paprika and cayenne pepper. These moreish savoury scones really are bursting with flavour and colour and the Spanish theme also did seem to be a natural follow on from my Oxford Marmalade from last week which uses Seville oranges.

Ingredients you will need to make Olive and Chorizo Scones

Jump to printable recipe

• 1 pound / 450 grams self raising flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 ounces / 115 grams salted butter
• 3 ounces / 85 grams diced red pepper
• 3 ounces / 85 grams diced chorizo
• 3 ounces / 85 grams diced manchego cheese
• 3 ounces / 85 grams pitted olives halved
• Approx. 10 fluid ounces / 300 ml buttermilk
• A little milk to brush the tops
• 1 ounce / 30 grams grated manchego cheese

Directions

1. Pre-heat your oven to 220°C / 200°C fan / 425°F / Gas mark 7.
2. Sieve the flour, baking powder, paprika, cayenne and salt into a mixing bowl.
3. Add the butter cut into pieces and rub in until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
4. Add the diced red pepper, diced chorizo, diced manchego cheese and olives and stir to distribute evenly.
5. Mix to a soft dough with the buttermilk – you may need a little more.
6. Turn out onto a floured work surface and knead very lightly until smooth.
7. Shape into a round approximately 7-8 inches / 17.5 – 20cm in diameter.
8. Brush the top with milk and sprinkle on the grated manchego cheese.
9. Cut the round into eight segments and place them on a baking tray lined with baking parchment.
10. Cook for approximately 20 minutes in the pre-heated oven until well risen and golden brown.
11. Cool wrapped in a clean tea towel or serve straight from the oven.
12. Remember, any leftovers should be frozen as scones are best eaten on the day they are made.

Manchego Cheese

Manchego cheese is made from the milk of the Manchega breed of sheep from the La Mancha region of Spain. It has a buttery texture and firm and compact consistency. It has a sweet but not too strong flavour and it’s creaminess makes it ideal for use in scones. It’s a nice alternative to the strong cheddars I like to use in my Cheese Scones.

Manchego cheese might sometimes be hard to find however, or you may have just eaten it all, but don’t worry there are some alternatives that would be well worth experimenting with in scones – please do let me know in the comments if you try any of the following substitutes.

Manchego Cheese Substitutes

If you do need a manchego cheese substitute you could try a strong English cheddar, Asiago (an Italian hard cheese), Chihuahua (Mexican), Parmesan, Pecorino Romano, Zamorano (another Spanish cheese made from sheep milk), Monterey Jack or Muenster Cheese.

See Cassie Marshall’s blog at The Kitchen Community for more information on these possible replacements.

Olive and Chorizo Scones with Manchego Cheese

Recipe by Scones Plus More Course: SnackCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pound / 450 grams self raising flour

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika

• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 4 ounces / 115 grams salted butter

• 3 ounces / 85 grams diced red pepper

• 3 ounces / 85 grams diced chorizo

• 3 ounces / 85 grams diced manchego cheese

• 3 ounces / 85 grams pitted olives halved

• Approx. 10 fluid ounces / 300 ml buttermilk

• A little milk to brush the tops

• 1 ounce / 30 grams grated manchego cheese

Directions

• Pre-heat your oven to 220°C / 200°C fan / 425°F / Gas mark 7.
• Sieve the flour, baking powder, paprika, cayenne and salt into a mixing bowl.
• Add the butter cut into pieces and rub in until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
• Add the diced red pepper, diced chorizo, diced manchego cheese and olives and stir to distribute evenly.
• Mix to a soft dough with the buttermilk – you may need a little more.
• Turn out onto a floured work surface and knead very lightly until smooth.
• Shape into a round approximately 7-8 inches / 17.5 – 20cm in diameter.
• Brush the top with milk and sprinkle on the grated manchego cheese.
• Cut the round into eight segments and place them on a baking tray lined with baking parchment.
• Cook for approximately 20 minutes in the pre-heated oven until well risen and golden brown.
• Cool wrapped in a clean tea towel or serve straight from the oven.
• Remember, any leftovers should be frozen as scones are best eaten on the day they are made.

Serving Olive and Chorizo Scones with Manchego Cheese

These Olive and Chorizo Scones with Manchego Cheese are delicious with soup and with extra cheese. My grandson loves them warm from the oven without anything else but I have to spread them lavishly with butter.

Look out for another savoury scone experiment coming soon!

Happy Baking!

Tanya