Lavon and Miss NiNi discuss Scones.

FRUITY BUTTERMILK LEMON SCONES—adapted from kingarthurflour.com

Ingredients:

• 3 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
• 4 t. baking powder
• ¾ t. salt
• ½ c. sugar
• Grated rind of 1 large lemon
• 1 c. chopped or slivered dried fruit (apricots, cherries, cranberries, currants or combination of fruits)
• ½ c. cold butter
• 1 large egg
• ½ t. lemon oil, optional; for more lemon flavor
• ¾ c. buttermilk OR ¾ c. water plus 3 T. dried buttermilk powder
• Garnish: Crystallized sugar

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together flour, buttermilk powder (if using powder), baking powder, salt, sugar, lemon zest, and dried fruit. Cut butter into ¼-inch size slices. Using your fingers, a pastry fork, or pastry blender, work butter into dry ingredients. Mix until butter is about pea-sized pieces. Whisk together egg, optional lemon oil, and buttermilk or water. Add to dry ingredients, stirring gently until everything is well moistened and just combined.

Using a large cookie scoop or measuring cup sprayed with nonstick spray, drop ¼-cup measures of dough onto a lightly greased or parchment-lined or Silpat-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 1-1/2 inches apart.

For more traditional wedge-shaped scones, divide dough into four pieces and place on a well-floured work surface. Pat each piece into a 4-3/4-inch circle about ¾-inch thick. Transfer to two baking sheets, two rounds to a sheet. Don’t divide the circles into wedges yet; you’ll do that after they’re baked.

To add sparkle to the scones, prior to baking sprinkle tops with crystallized sugar.

Bake small round scones about 18 minutes or until they’re golden brown. For larger rounds, bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove scones from oven and serve warm. If you’ve baked the larger rounds, cut them into six wedges each before serving.

Yields: About 15 smaller round scones or 24 wedge-shaped scones.

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