Sweet Fennel-and-Tomato Scones

• FAST
• MAKE-AHEAD
• VEGETARIAN

Ingredients

1. 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2. 1 tablespoon baking powder
3. 1 teaspoon salt
4. 1 teaspoon ground fennel seeds plus 1 tablespoon whole fennel seeds
5. 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
6. 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, plus more for serving
7. 1 plum tomato, seeded and finely chopped
8. 1/2 cup milk
9. 1/4 cup honey, warmed
10. 1 large egg yolk mixed with 1 tablespoon water
11. 2 teaspoons sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. In a large bowl, whisk the flour with the baking powder, salt, the ground fennel seeds and the baking soda. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the chopped tomato and toss until evenly distributed.
2. In a small bowl, mix the milk with the warmed honey. Pour the milk mixture into the flour. Using a wooden spoon, stir until a soft dough forms. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead 2 or 3 times, until smooth. Pat the dough out to a 1/2-inch thickness. Using a 2-inch-round biscuit cutter, stamp as many rounds as possible out of the dough. Gather the scraps and stamp out more rounds. Transfer the rounds to a baking sheet and brush the tops with the egg-yolk mixture. Sprinkle the scones with the whole fennel seeds and the sugar and bake for about 10 minutes, or until they are golden and puffy. Transfer the scones to a wire rack to cool slightly. Serve the scones with butter.