Are you ready for spring yet? Need I ask??? I don’t know about you, but I’m over the winter season. Seriously. Over. It. We are never ever ever getting back together. Oh the drama. That’s what brought me to the decision to make these lemony fresh poppy seed scones yesterday. Light and flaky little nuggets of comfort that remind me of spring and are kissed with a light sheen of sweet-tart glaze.
These scones were also made in an attempt to avoid the need to do some spring cleaning and purging of the apartment. *ick* The daunting yet liberating task has been creeping onto my to do list for a few weeks now; and I’m determined to make it happen this weekend. Rain or shine. Or snow. {But we all know, if by any chance the weather graces us with a sunny sky and warmer air, I WILL be outside. Spring cleaning will have to wait if that’s the case.}
Have you ever had the pleasure of working with Meyer lemons before? They are really charming, and, I have to say more inviting than their regular lemon counterparts. Meyer lemons have a thinner skin that feels as if it were ready to burst and ooze forth an abundance of sweet-tart juice with the mere pressure of your finger. No coaxing to get the juice out of these gems, folks. They are ready and willing to give it up for bright and sunny vinaigrettes, sauces, smoothies, cakes, breads, tarts, muffins….and even a homemade sugar scrub or cleaning solution. Their fragrance is refreshing and floral; and the flesh is much sweeter and can be eaten alone, if you like. Try roasting them with chicken or candying them for an edible garnish.
These scones would be perfectly delightful for a spring-themed brunch, shower, tea, or luncheon. I like to make them half the size of normal scones. This portion makes for a perfect snack for your afternoon coffee or tea and ensures you don’t over-indulge at the same time. A few bites is all you need to be satisfied and refreshed with the zip of lemon flavor and the subtle crunch of poppy seeds. If you were here with me now, I’d hop on over and make you a cup of Chai and we’d nosh on a few of them and talk about what actresses/actors we’re most looking forward to seeing on the Red Carpet at the Oscars this Sunday…..you know I will be watching!
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Meyer Lemon Poppy Seed Scones
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- The zest of 2 meyer lemons
- 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
- 1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter, placed in the freezer for 30 minutes
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed meyer lemon juice
- 1 cup powdered sugar sifted
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, lemon zest, and poppy seeds.
- In a small bowl, combine the buttermilk, egg, and vanilla. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Using a boxed grater, grate the frozen stick of butter into the flour mixture. Use your hands to work the butter flakes into the dough until it looks like a course wet sand. This should only take a minute or two; due to the small size of the butter flakes.
- Make a well in the center of your flour/butter mixture and pour the wet ingredients into the center. Using a fork, carefully moisten the dry ingredients with the milk mixture until a shaggy, loose dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a well floured surface and carefully pat it into a 11 x 8 inch rectangle. You may use a floured rolling pin, if needed. Cut the dough into 4 strips width-wise, and then cut each strip into 4 small triangles. You should have 16 total. Place the cut scones into the freezer for 15 minutes.
- Bake the scones on a lined baking sheet for 12-14 minutes until they are a light golden color. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
- For the glaze: combine the sifted powdered sugar and lemon juice. You may add more sifted sugar to make the mixture thicker; or add milk to make it thinner. When you achieve the desired consistency, spoon the glaze over the cooled scones and allow the glaze to dry for 15 minutes or so before serving.
- Store the scones in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 3 days.