Vanilla–Earl Grey Scones
 
Makes approximately 12
Ingredients
  • 1¼ cups heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon Earl Grey tea leaves, divided
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
  1. In a small saucepan, heat cream over medium-high heat to just below a simmer (do not boil). Remove from heat. Add 2 tablespoons tea leaves, cover, and let steep for 10 minutes.
  2. Using a fine-mesh sieve, strain cream mixture into a bowl, discarding tea leaves. Cover bowl, and refrigerate until very cold, approximately 6 hours.
  3. Preheat oven to 375°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  4. Using a mortar and pestle*, grind remaining 1 teaspoon tea leaves until very fine.
  5. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and ground tea leaves. Using a pastry blender or 2 forks, cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
  6. Stir vanilla bean paste into cold cream. Add cream mixture to flour mixture, stirring with a fork until a shaggy dough begins to form. Working gently, bring mixture together with hands until a dough forms. (If mixture seems dry and dough won’t come together, add more cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it does.)
  7. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface, and knead gently until smooth by patting dough and folding it in half 3 to 4 times. Using a rolling pin, roll out dough to a ¾-inch thickness. Using a 2¼-inch fluted round cutter dipped in flour, cut as many scones as possible from dough without twisting cutter, rerolling scraps once. Place scones, evenly spaced, on prepared baking sheet. Freeze scones until firm**, at least 15 minutes.
  8. In a small bowl, whisk together egg and 1 tablespoon water to make an egg wash. Brush tops of scones with egg wash.
  9. Bake until scones are golden brown, 16 to 18 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
*If a mortar and pestle is not available, grind tea leaves in a small food processor.

**This will keep scones upright. Scones can be baked immediately but might lean or topple slightly.

MAKE-AHEAD TIP: Scones can be frozen completely on baking sheet and then transferred to a resealable plastic bag for longer storage, up to 3 months. Bake, without thawing, according to recipe directions, allowing a little extra time for proper doneness and browning, if necessary.

RECOMMENDED CONDIMENTS:
Clotted cream
Orange marmalade
Recipe by TeaTime Magazine at https://teatimemagazine.com/vanilla-earl-grey-scones/