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I bake scones and biscuits quite often, and all year round. Scones make beautiful centerpieces for breakfasts, brunches and tea parties, easy to make ahead, freeze and bake just when needed, ready to shine on their own or play second fiddle to fancy jams and spreads just the same. Their southern, savory cousin, the biscuit, is equally praise worthy, brilliant with scrambled eggs and crumbled bacon, or humble supporters of winter stew, studded with bits of goat cheese.
None of these recipes are written on the blog, and in an attempt to remedy that, here we have some Lavender and Lemon Cream Scones with a Lavender and Lemon glaze! These scones are also an answer to another question – what would go really well with the oh-so-divine Blue Lady Grey tea in my next Simple Loose Leaf box! For the past few weeks, I paired 4 of their select black teas with 4 new recipes. We are on to the next box, so watch this space for more tea pairings!
On to the scones: I riffed on Bon Appetit’s indulgent and dreamy Cream Scones; infusing the cream with crushed lavender flowers, and working lemon zest and more lavender into the dough for full flavor impact. The lemony and tart lavender glaze is just gilding the lily, settling any doubts you may have in your mind about the kind of scone it is. The tea, with lavender (and bergamot and cornflowers, which is that are typical to the Lady Grey) goes beautifully with these decadent, lemony and floral scented scones.
The star of this recipe is the Lavender flowers/blossoms! Crush them lightly to release their full flavor (in the scones), but leave them whole in the glaze, because pretty.
Let’s start, shall we?
I infused the cream with crushed lavender (be sure to use food-grade) to maximize the flavor, but you can skip this step if you don’t have enough time. You need to gently warm the cream with the lavender, then cool it all the way before using it in the recipe (refrigerate the cream to make sure it is absolutely cold).
Take all the dry ingredients in the bowl, including lemon zest and more lavender, and then work the chilled butter into the flour mixture with 2 knives, your hands or a pastry blender. If using your hands, then I would strongly recommend freezing the butter for 15-20 minutes after dicing it!
Whisk the egg into a the cold cream (infused or otherwise), and pour it into a well at the center of the flour-butter mixture, and using a fork, slowly bring in the dry mixture bit by bit into the cream. When most of it is incorporated, take all the shaggy dough off the fork, and using you hands, knead for 5-10 seconds, gently, only to bring all the ingredients together into a homogeneous mixture. Flip onto a well-dusted counter and dusting more as needed, form dough into a disk about 1 inch thick (about 7 inches in diameter). Using a knife or bench scraper, cut into 8 equal wedges.
Transfer to a parchment-lined sheet, 2 inches apart on all sides. Brush the top and sides with cream, and bake at 375 degrees F for 28-30 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer from pan to cooling rack right away, and cool completely on rack.
Once completely cooled, combine the confectioners sugar, crushed lavender and lemon zest in a measuring cup or bowl, and whisk to incorporate. Add a teaspoon of lemon juice at a time, whisking with a fork vigorously until glaze is the desired consistency – thick and syrupy, falling into ribbons in a continuous stream when held up with a fork.
Drizzle glaze onto cooled scones, giving it a few minutes to harden on the scones.
Serve with some delicious Blue Lady Grey, Lady Grey or Earl Grey tea.
• Recipe •
Lavender and Lemon Scones with Lavender Glaze
Adapted loosely from Bon Appetit
Makes 8 large scones
For the scones
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon table salt
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for counter
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon dried food-grade lavender, roughly chopped, divided
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups heavy cream, plus more for brushing
For the glaze
1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from the zested lemons)
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon dried food-grade lavender
Bake scones
In a small saucepan, bring 1 1/4 cups heavy cream and 1/2 teaspoon of lavender to a gentle simmer on medium-low heat. Take it off the heat and cover with a lid for 10-15 minutes, to let the lavender steep. Using a sieve, strain out the lavender and discard. Let cream cool completely (refrigerate if its a warm day), covered. Once completely cooled, whisk in the egg and set aside.
Preheat oven to 375°. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, lemon zest, remaining 1/2 teaspoon p po lavender and 3 cups flour in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add butter, and using your fingers or a pastry blender, work butter into flour until small, pea-size pieces remain.
Make a well in the center; add egg and cream mixture and mix with a fork, bringing in the dry ingredients a little at a time, incorporating into a shaggy dough. Lightly knead dough for few seconds in bowl until it just comes together, do not overwork it.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface with loose bits, and form a 1″-thick round disk. Cut into 8 wedges and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Brush scones with cream and bake scones until golden brown, 25–30 minutes. Once baked, transfer to a cooling rack and let cool all the way.
Make glaze
After the scones have cooled completely, start the glaze. Sift the confectioners’ sugar to remove lumps, and then stir in the lemon juice until desired consistency is reached. The glaze should be thick, but not stiff. Stir in the lemon zest and lavender.
Assemble
Drizzle cooled scones with the glaze and consume within the first 1-2 days for best effect! Store at room temperature.
Scones taste best the same day. If you want to make them ahead of time and freeze them, follow the recipe exactly until just before putting them in the oven. Put them in the freezer instead (on the baking pan, spaced apart). Once they’ve frozen completely, transfer them to a freezer safe zip top bag or container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake directly from the freezer, adding 2-3 minutes to the baking time.
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