Chocolate Chip Scones

1 cup pecans
3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
10 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 to 2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Arrange the pecans on a baking sheet in a single layer and toast them in the oven for 7 to 9 minutes, until golden brown and aromatic. Coarsely chop the pecans.

Increase the oven temperature to 425 F.

Process the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder for about 30 seconds in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Cut the butter into 1/2 inch cubes and add to the flour mixture. Pulse about 15 times until the butter-flour mixture is crumbly.

Stir the vanilla into the cream. With the food processor running, slowly pour 1 1/2 cups of the cream through the feed tube. Stop the processor as soon as the cream has been added. If the dough has begun to stick together in a ball, remove it. If not, add more cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse until the dough begins to clump up and form a ball.

Place the dough on a lightly floured flat surface and knead in the chocolate chips and pecans, handling the dough as little as possible. Form the dough into a 3/4 inch think round. Cut into 8 wedges and bake on an ungreased baking sheet about 10 minutes, until the scones are a light golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature. (Best eaten warm out of the oven.)

***I did two balls and added pecans and chocolate chips to one and just chocolate chips to the other. It was a lot! I would probably half it if I made it for just my family. ***