Follow along to this recipe for a batch of zingy-sweet scones to enjoy on those bright, summer mornings. These pair well with a bit of lemon curd or orange marmalade and a lovely glass of Fog Cutter black tea that has been brewed and poured over ice.
Tips for Making This Lemonade Scones Recipe
Before we get to the actual recipe, here are a few tips that make all the difference in these scones:
Flavor-Infused Cream
Infusing the heavy cream in this recipe with Fog Cutter black tea creates an added layer of flavor and it’s quite simple. If you’ve brewed a cup of tea, you can infuse flavor into almost any liquid. Simply heat the cream over moderate heat until warm, remove from heat, and steep in the tea for 15-30 minutes. Like brewing tea, the process extracts the essence of an ingredient to flavor the liquid, but in this case, it’s cream instead of water.
While it is possible to infuse flavor using cool liquids, the infusion process yields greater results when the liquid is heated. Because this recipe calls for cold heavy cream, I recommend that you infuse your cream the night before so there’s plenty of time for it to chill.
Temperature is Key
When a recipe calls for ingredients to be at a certain temperature, it’s best to follow that advice. Baking is a science and if you don’t follow the rules, the final products won’t turn out just right. Typically ingredients that need to be used chilled as ones that are kept in the refrigerator, for example, the heavy cream, egg, and butter in this recipe.
It’s especially important to follow this rule when the outcome is to yield a flaky texture. Since scones are known for their tender, flaky texture, I recommend getting all of your cold ingredients prepared beforehand, then back in the fridge for easy access when it’s time to use them.
Lemonade Scones Recipe:
Dough Ingredients:
- 3 teaspoon Fog Cutter black tea, divided
- 1/2 cup very cold heavy cream
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) very cold, unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- 1 large egg, cold
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
- 2-4 tablespoons lemon juice
Directions:
Ahead of time, prepare the infused heavy cream: On medium-low heat, warm 1/2 cup of heavy cream in a small saucepan, but do not let it boil. Once warm, remove from heat and steep 2 teaspoons of Fog Cutter black tea in the cream for 3-5 minutes. Strain into a sealable container, discarding the tea leaves. Store in the fridge for at least 4 hours until chilled. Best to store it overnight.
When it’s time to make the scones, preheat the oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, 1 teaspoon Fog Cutter black tea, and salt.
Cut the cubes of butter into the dough using a pastry cutter or a fork until the texture of coarse meal.
Lightly whisk together the tea-infused heavy cream, egg, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Add the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and gently stir until just combined. Do not over mix.
Pour the dough out on a lightly floured work surface and lightly knead a few times but do not overwork. Pat the dough out into an 8- or 9-inch circle about 1 inch thick. Cut into 8 triangle-shaped pieces.
Gently transfer the scones onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Wait 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Allow the scones to cool completely before glazing.
To make the lemon glaze, whisk together powdered sugar, lemon zest, and enough lemon juice to get a just-pourable consistency. Drizzle over the cooled scones. To get extra fancy, sprinkle some sugar sprinkles or top each scone with a slice of candied lemon.
Recipe adapted from Baker Bettie.
