Ultra-Chocolatey Scones

The best breakfast baked-good, in my opinion, is a warm homemade scone. Below is a recipe for dairy, nut, and peanut-free chocolate scones.

Ingredients
2 cups flour
4 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1 tbsp icing sugar
1/2 cup Zen Budda (This is a brand of vegan "butter" but you can easily use shortening or lard instead)
1/2 bag (approximately) of Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips
about 1/2 cup cold water
1 egg
3 tbsp cane sugar

Method
1. Add all the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl and mix until well combined.
2. Add the Zen Budda and break it up with a fork into little pea-sized bits, ensuring that it's well distributed throughout the dry ingredients. Pour in as many chocolate chips as you like. I usually go for 1/2 - 3/4 of a bag depending on my mood :)
3. Slowly add the water, folding the dough together after each addition. When it comes together in a rough shaped ball you can refrain from adding any more water. It should be kind of dry in texture but not so dry that it doesn't stick together. If it's at all sticky, add more flour.
4. Turn the dough onto a surface lined with parchment paper. Kneed the dough 10 times and then form it into an 8 inch round, about 3/4 of an inch thick. Transfer it to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (I just use the same sheet I worked the dough on. Who cares if it's a little mangled?) and use a non-serrated knife to cut it into 8 pieces like a pie. Do not separate the pieces.
5. Beat the egg in a small bowl and then coat each scone using a pastry brush. Sprinkle the sugar on top as desired.
6. Place the tray into a pre-heated 410F oven and bake for 10 - 12 minutes. Remove the pan and separate the scones, then return to the oven and bake for an additional 8 minutes. When finished baking they should be golden brown and flaky. Don't be worried if some bits of sugar have burned around the edges. It just adds to the taste.
7. Serve warm or room temperature. If covered they l will last for about 24 hours before going stale.

Makes 8 scones