Blueberry Lemon Scones

Blueberry Lemon Scones

Scones... Yum!! There is nothing better than smelling something being freshly baked first thing in the morning. It was a couple of days ago that I woke up with an INTENSE craving for blueberry scones. I quickly scoured the internet and found the best recipe. It was only after buying all the ingredients that I realized... HOLY COW I have never made a scone before. Of course when I was young, I remember my mom making them (and I must add that they were delicious), but I had no clue where to start. So here started my adventure!!

This recipe is adapted from Tyler Florence.

The Ingredients...

For the Scones:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut in chunks
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1 cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing the scones (I used half and half for this. A lighter option)

For the Lemon Glaze:

• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 lemon, zest finely grated

The Directions...

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. (Always preheat)

• Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Using 2 forks or a pastry blender, cut in the butter to coat the pieces with the flour (Sometimes the butter is too cold for me to use a fork so I use my hands. They are the best tools for mixing!) The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. Fold the blueberries into the batter. (Be careful not to smash the blueberries in the process. It will turn your batter purple.) Make a crater in the center and pour in the heavy cream (or half and half). Fold everything together just to join; do not overwork the dough. (Don't panic! The dough will look crumbly. This is ok).

• Press the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 12 by 3 by 1 1/4 inches. Cut the rectangle in 1/2 then cut the pieces in 1/2 again, giving you 4 (3-inch) squares. Cut the squares in 1/2 diagonally to give you the classic triangle shape. (Another way to make the scones is to create a circle about 3 inches high and 10 inches wide. Cut the dough in half and then in half again. You will have four triangle pieces. Cut each one of these in half again. This will give you eight scones). Place the scones on an ungreased cookie sheet and brush the tops with a little heavy cream (or half and half for a lighter option). Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until beautiful and brown. Let the scones cool a bit before you apply the glaze.

• You can make the lemon glaze in a double boiler, or for a simpler alternative (which is always good), you can zap it in the microwave. Mix the lemon juice with the confectioners' until dissolved in a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water for the double-boiler method, or in a microwave-safe bowl. Whisk in the butter and lemon zest. Either nuke the glaze for 30 seconds or continue whisking in the double boiler. Whisk the glaze to smooth out any lumps (this takes a few minutes), then drizzle the glaze over the top of the scones. Let it set a minute before serving. 

These scones are great! They can be made the night before and enjoyed in the morning, but keep in mind that scones tend to not keep well. After the second day these were a little dry and not as good. Straight out of the oven these scones are WINNERS!