I love that these scones strike the right balance between just the right amount of chocolate goodness without being too sweet as a breakfast treat. It's not the type of goodie that will keep long, but that shouldn't matter. If your family is anything like mine, it will be long gone before then.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees, placing a rack in the center of the oven. Line a heavy baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and 1/4 cup sugar. Stir in the chocolate chips. Add the buttermilk and stir with fork until the dough starts to come together and pulls away from the walls of the bowl. It will be very sticky.
Lightly flour a work surface and turn the dough out. Sprinkle with a little more flour and knead the dough, giving it 10 turns (fold the dough towards you, push it out with the heel of your hand and give it a quarter of a turn each time). Pat it into a disk about 9 inches wide.
Brush with the melted butter and sprinkle with the remaining sugar. Cut into 12 wedges and place on the baking tray, about 1 inch apart.
Bake for 15 minutes, until the scones are golden brown and still tender. Serve immediately.
Notes
Lightly adapted from Chocolate, Williams-Sonoma Kitchen Library (Williams & Brody, 1993). The original recipe called for heavy cream. This version, made with buttermilk, lightens it up considerably, without loosing flavor or texture.