A basket filled to the brim with light and sunny lemony scones is sure to please at a summertime tea.
Lemon Scones
Serves: approximately 14
Ingredients
- 2 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour*
- 1⁄3 cup plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, divided
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
- 1⁄2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 1⁄2 cup plus 1 tablespoon cold heavy whipping cream, divided
- 2 large eggs, divided
- 1⁄2 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1⁄8 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, 1⁄3 cup sugar, baking powder, lemon zest, and salt. Using a pastry blender or 2 forks, cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- In a small bowl, whisk together 1⁄2 cup cream, 1 egg, lemon extract, and vanilla extract. Add to flour mixture, stirring until a dry shaggy dough begins to form. Working gently, bring mixture together in bowl with hands until a dough forms. (If dough won’t come together, add more cream, 1 tablespoon at a time until it does. Dough should be very firm.)
- Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead gently until smooth by patting dough and folding it in half 4 to 5 times. Using a rolling pin, roll out dough to a 3⁄4-inch thickness. Using a 2-inch round cutter dipped in flour, cut as many scones as possible from dough without twisting cutter, rerolling scraps as necessary. Place scones 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet.
- In a small bowl, whisk together remaining 1 tablespoon cream and remaining egg to make an egg wash. Brush tops of scones with egg wash. Sprinkle tops of scones with remaining 2 teaspoons sugar.
- Bake until edges of scones are golden brown and a wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Serve warm.
Notes
*Measure flour by spooning it into a dry-measure cup and then scraping off excess with a knife to level.
