blueberry scones with lemon butter
A few weekends, I did something out of the ordinary -- rather than going out for brunch or ordering an everything bagel, I baked. I've never been much of a baker. I lack the patience, and the inordinate amount of leftovers just get boring after a while. But, our newspaper finally arrived to our new apartment that day, the sun was just peaking over the buildings downtown, and I wanted to try my hand at something that didn't require a pan. So, I whipped together this batch of classic blueberry scones, cutting Martha's recipe in half, and pairing it with a side of zesty butter. Kind of the perfect combination and a good starting point if you're looking to try something new.
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Blueberry Scones with Lemon Butter makes 4; Adapted from Martha Stewart
1 cups all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons sugar, plus more for sprinkling tops 1/2 tablespoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces 1 cups fresh blueberries, picked over and rinsed 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest 1/3 cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing tops 1 large eggs, lightly beaten
Lemon t 1 teaspoon lemon zest 1 teaspoon lemon juice 2-3 tablespoon butter, room temperature
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet, and set aside. In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Either using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut in butter until the largest pieces are the size of peas. Stir in blueberries and zest. In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together cream and egg using a fork. Make a well in the center of dry ingredients, and pour in cream mixture. Stir lightly with fork just until dough comes together. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead a few times to mix well. Pat dough into a 3-inch square about 1 1/4 inches thick. Then, using a floured knife, cut into four 3-inch squares. Cut squares in half on the diagonal to form four triangles. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Brush tops with cream, and sprinkle with sugar. Bake until golden brown, 20 to 22 minutes.
While scones are baking, prepare butter. In a medium bowl, cream butter until fluffy. Then using a whisk, whip in lemon zest and juice. Place in a condiment cup (or in my case, a shot glass). Refrigerate when not using.
Transfer scones to wire racks to cool. Serve with lemon butter.