Savory Ham, Cheddar & Chive Scones

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Sift the flours, sugar, salt, pepper, baking powder and baking soda into a large bowl. Cube the cold butter and mix, using your fingers, into a coarse sand texture. Add buttermilk and mix until almost combined. Add 3/4 cup cheese, chives, and ham and knead into the dough, until well distributed (but do not overmix!). If your dough is a bit dry, drizzle in an extra tablespoon of buttermilk at a time, until the dough is slightly sticky, but not wet (we used 2 additional tablespoons of buttermilk).

Transfer scone dough to a lightly floured surface and divide into 2 equal parts. With your hands, shape each portion of dough into 3/4-inch thick rounds. Using a round cookie/biscuit cutter (or a floured wine glass), cut out dough and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Top each scone with a small pinch of reserved shredded cheese and a sprinkle of black pepper. Bake for 16-18 minutes in the oven, or until lightly browned. Serve immediately, or make them a day ahead and be sure to keep them refrigerated until ready to re-heat and eat.