Monday, January 04, 2010

Lemon Scones

I thought I would share a favorite recipe of mine today. I found this scone recipe a couple of years ago, and it's been a favorite ever since. These scones take no time at all to make. They have a smooth, flaky, buttery-sweet consistency, and the touch of lemon flavor is delightful. I occasionally substitute the lemon rind for orange or tangerine rind for a little variety, or to use what I have immediately available. I baked some of these last night and served them with homemade jam, and they were melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Take note of the substitution for the buttermilk. You can use the substitution in a pinch, but the buttermilk adds flavor and a smoother texture to the scones, so if you are planning ahead of time to make them make sure to pick up some buttermilk. You won't be disappointed.

Lemon Scones

1 cup buttermilk ***
1/4 cup honey
1 egg
4 cups flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 stick (1/2 cup) melted butter
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon raw sugar

(***Substitution: 1 cup buttermilk = 1 Tbsp. vinegar or lemon juice plus "regular" milk to make 1 cup. Let stand 5 minutes.)

Mix the milk, honey and egg. Sift in the dry ingredients. Add the melted butter, followed by the lemon rind. Roll out into 3/8" thick on a floured surface. Cut into wedges. Lightly grease and flour cookie sheets. Sprinkle raw sugar on top of scones. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown (10 - 18 minutes). Transfer to cooling rack, but serve warm. Devour with jam or warmed honey. If baked before serving, they can be nicely warmed in the microwave.

Tips:
  • Use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into triangles.
  • I bake them 12 - 18 minutes (depending on the size), which was a bit longer than the 10 minutes the original recipe called for. However, we live at a high altitude, so if you are a sea-level dweller maybe the 10 minutes will suffice. Just check them throughout the baking process and take them out when they are slightly golden brown.
As Julia would say...
"Bon appetit!"

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