Hot pot Cheddar Cheese Scones by Kat Lieu

hot pot cheddar cheese scones after freezing uncovered in the freezer for 30 minutes (modernasianbaking.com)

Rarely would I decline an invitation to have hot pot. There's something magical about sitting at a table together, cooking and serving each other freshly-boiled food. It hits the spot like no other cuisine. Having shared a delicious meal with friends or loved ones, you leave smelling like the food, red in the face, overstuffed, and full of joy. And hot pot is so customizable and creative. It's for everyone, really (and no, you don't have to be Asian to enjoy hot pot!) If something casts a shadow, it can be dropped into the pot (although I don't recommend that with anything that casts a darn shadow LOL, you get what I mean! Root veggies, leafy veggies, tofu, seafood, meats, starches!) And there's almost always a sauce bar where you can load a sauce bowl with sauces like sesame or peanut paste, Chinese barbeque sauce, satay sauce, chili oil, chili bean curd, soy sauce, sesame oil, and of course condiments like minced garlic and onions. (Try adding some fish sauce, I bet that will be delicious!)

During the early days of COVID and now, my family and I enjoy hotpot at home, and I had a lot of sauces in the refrigerator. This morning, I thought of making sweet scones with chocolate and matcha but decided to go savory! I brought out a bunch of sauces that I’ve had forever and doesn't seem to go bad (wish us luck( such as Bullhead Barbecue sauce, Laoganma Chilli Oil Beancurd, sesame paste, soy sauce, and hot pot satay sauce. I minced up scallions and garlic and grabbed a handful of sharp cheddar cheese shreds (be generous with the cheese!) and mixed everything together, taste-tested, and my palate was in umami-bomb heaven. Feel free to change up your mix-ins and sauces. By the time I pulled the freshly-baked scones out of the oven, my kitchen smelled like HaiDiLao (a popular hot pot joint). My family loved these scones, they are cheesy, savory, and really hits the spot, especially when you’re nostalgic for hot pot!

If you try this recipe, please let me know what you think and tag #subtleasianbakes.

Note: For a riff, you can use any chili crisp oil, XO sauce, or gochujang, instead of the hot pot sauces mix!

Love,
Kat

”Hot pot or hotpot, also known as soup-food or steamboat, is a cooking method that originated in China, prepared with a simmering pot of soup stock at the dining table, containing a variety of Chinese foodstuffs and ingredients.” Wikipedia

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Hot pot cheddar cheese scones baking in the oven on a silicone mat (modernasianbaking.com)

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Hot Pot Cheddar Scones Recipe by Kat Lieu

( 0 reviews )

Yield -16+

Author Kat Lieu

Prep time

30 Min

Cook time

25 Min

Inactive time

27 Min

Total time

1 H & 22 M

IngredientsUSMetric

For the scones

• 1/2 tablespoon baking powder
• pinch of salt
• pinch of pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), cold
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk

For the hotpot sauce mix

• some minced garlic and scallions, up to you how much you want (you can use other herbs and spices like parsley, cilantro, or shallots, up to you really!)
• 1 teaspoon each of different hotpot sauces (chili bean curd, satay, sesame paste, soy sauce, Bullhead barbeque sauce, etc...), your choice! Taste the sauce mix first. You don't want it to be too salty
• a handful of cheese of choice, I used shredded sharp cheddar
• (mix everything together, taste-test, set aside for now)

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, dump in the dry ingredients (flour, salt, pepper, sugar, baking powder, paprika) and give it a good mix. Chop the cold butter directly into the dry ingredients, using a pastry cutter/scraper or a fork. You can also pinch and rub the butter into the dry ingredients, until you have pea-sized fragments, and they don't all have to be the same size.
2. Gently mix in the eggs and milk until a dry, shaggy, crumbly dough forms. Mix in the hotpot sauce mix as well until thoroughly coated. It's best to use a spatula or your clean hands.
3. Frasir - turn onto a lightly floured work surface and gently fold and press, working quickly and gently. You can split the dough into two even portions like I did, and to make wedges, flatten one portion into a 1/2-thick disc and cut into even wedges (like 8 pizza slices). The other portion, you can shape into a rectangle about 1/2-inch thick and cut into cute little squares. Transfer all to a lined baking pan and freeze uncovered for about 30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) with a rack in the center.
5. Wash the scones with egg wash or chili oil if desired prior to baking. Bake for 10 minutes before lowering the temperature to 350°F (180°C) and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
6. Enjoy the delicious hotpot cheddary aromas that fill your kitchen. Serve warm with tea during brunch or as a snack. Breakfast is OK too, reheat as needed in a toaster oven. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days on the counter, 5 days in the fridge, 3 months in the freezer. You can also freeze the shaped dough and bake on another day, frozen for again up to 3 months. Let me know what you think, Fam!

Notes

It is possible to make the scones vegan with these substitutions: silken tofu instead of eggs, plant-based milk instead of dairy milk, and cold-cold vegan butter. Be sure to read the label of the hotpot sauces before using.

Recommended Products:

Modern Asian Baking at Home Cookbook

Amazon Basics Silicone, Non-Stick, Food Safe Baking Mat - Pack of 2

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savory scones

snack, brunch, savory baking

Asian fusion

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hot pot cheddar cheese scones almost all gone! LOL (modernasianbaking.com)

About the Baker

Kat Lieu is the founder of Subtle Asian Baking and this website modernasianbaking.com, and she is the author of Modern Asian Baking at Home. Currently, Kat is a full-time author and recipe developer. Follow her on instagram and check out her blog Phil and Mama.