About a year ago, I bought a mini-scone pan. I was heading right home to find a recipe to make scones because this was going to be my new breakfast treat, rather than muffins.
Today, being stuck in the house with the second nor'easter of the season, I found a container of blueberries hidden in the back of the refrigerator. Before they went bad I had a few choices...blueberry pancakes, blueberry muffins or...blueberry scones. That's right, I have a mini-scone pan I've never used. I looked up blueberry scones on the internet and came across Tyler Florence's Blueberry Scones with Lemon Glaze. I had to find a recipe that used heavy cream since I had some on the verge of being thrown away. Typically, scones are made with either heavy cream or buttermilk and buttermilk wasn't an option.
The recipe was easy to make. The dough was a little dry so I had to use my hands to get the last of it together. Some people who commented on the recipe suggested using 1-2 tablespoons of additional heavy cream. I was going to add some but was able to get the mixture to incorporate.
I flattened the dough and cut it into rectangular pieces to fit in the pan. The scones do not rise or get bigger as they cook so you can cut them to fit.
The glaze was also easy, especially since you can zap it in the microwave. I would suggest making half the glaze since there is quite a bit left over. I ran out of lemon juice and also didn't have a fresh lemon for the rind. I substitued a little bit of orange juice and orange rind which worked out perfectly.
My son, Stephen, and I were the first to indulge. The scones were delicious. The glaze added just enough sweetness to the scone. the scone was moist and melted in your mouth. We are a blueberry muffin family and I asked Stephen whether he thought they were better than blueberry muffins. "Oh, yeah...much better!" What more would you want from one of the "Bay Road Food Critics"!
The next time you want to make muffins, make scones. Something different, something tasty, something fun!
Scones:
2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
2 tablespoons of sugar
5 tablespoons of butter, cold, cut into chunks
1 cup of heavy cream, plus more for brushing the scones
1 cup of fresh blueberries (you can use frozen, but they can be tougher to incorporate)
Lemon Glaze:
1/2 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice (or orange juice if you don't have it)
2 cups of confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 lemon, zest finely grated (or orange zest)
1 tablespoon butter
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Sift together the dry ingredients; 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. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center and pour in the heavy cream. Fold everything together just to incorporate; do not overwork the dough. Fold the blueberries into the batter. Take care not to mash or bruise the blueberries because their strong color will bleed into the dough. Note: If the dough is too dry add 1 tablespoon (at a time) of heavy cream until it sticks together.
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 on a diagonal to give you the classic triangle shape. Place the scones on an ungreased cookie sheet and brush the tops with a little heavy cream. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until slightly golden brown. Let the scones cool a bit before you apply the glaze.
Technically you should make this simple lemon glaze in a double boiler, but it's even simpler to zap it in the microwave. Mix the lemon juice and confectioners' sugar together in a microwave-safe bowl. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the lemon zest and butter. Nuke it for 30 seconds on high. Whisk the glaze to smooth out any lumps, then drizzle the glaze over the top of the scones. Let it set a minute before serving.
