In a mixing bowl, add 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 2 teaspoons sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, and ¼ teaspoon garlic powder. Whisk together and set aside. Remove the ½ cup unsalted butter from the freezer and finely shred it directly into the flour mixture. From here you can use a pastry blender or your hands and fully incorporate the butter into the dry ingredients.

Add ¾ cup diced ham, 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, and 1-2 tablespoons chopped chives and give everything a quick mix so that the ingredients are well distributed.

Once mixed, add in ¾ cup cold heavy cream a bit at a time and mix between each addition. The dough will be very shaggy and seem a bit dry at this point, but don’t worry about that. Lightly flour your work surface and turn the dough out onto the counter.

Gently press the dough together into a ball and flatten into a thick disc about 8” across. At this point it should start coming together into a proper dough.

Slice the disc into 8 wedges, like cutting a pizza and place the scones onto a parchment lined baking sheet. From here, I recommend placing them in the refrigerator while the oven heats, or you can bake immediately.

Preheat the oven to 425°F / 220°C. Once heated, remove the scones from the fridge (if you did this step) and brush the tops with a bit of heavy cream. Place the scones into the middle of the oven and bake for 20-22 minutes. They should be a nice golden brown when done.

Once baked, allow them to cool for a few minutes on the pan, then you can transfer them to a cooling rack or enjoy immediately.