I read the other day about the summer days being over; what that meant was we'd say goodbye to barbecues, picnics, beach outings, tank tops, long vacation, and lazy days. The list is certainly long, isn't it? But I get it and I'm certainly sad about leaving summer as well. Yet a few days ago when someone gave me a couple of gingersnap cookies, I was left with a wanting of the fall to be here. I suddenly crave for the flavors of fall: ginger, cinnamon, apples, pears, and pumpkin. And the beautiful colors of turning leaves.
This post isn't about fall flavors yet, this is about lavender scones that I made to complete a leftover lemon curd. The scones were soft and tender, and they were required to be consumed warm, out of the oven. There is a pot of a lavender plant just outside of my kitchen where they are still blooming right now. Whenever I brush the flowers with a water hose, they exude this fragrant smell. Faint but just right. It's the same with the scones; the lavender smell is faint in them but if I get a bite of the dried speck, there's no question it is there. The lemon curd was a leftover from a batch I made for Zupan's fall/winter edition of Indulge magazine. It tasted eggy, soft, and zingy from the lemon, but unfortunately I wouldn't be able to post the recipe here yet. I will update the post when the magazine comes out later.
Lavender Scones
Makes 16
3 cups all-purpose flour plus more for surface
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon dried lavender buds
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons sanding or granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups store-bought or homemade lemon curd
Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 425°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk 3 cups flour and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Add butter; rub in with your fingers until mixture resembles coarse meal.
Whisk 1 cup buttermilk, zest, and vanilla in a small bowl. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Stir until shaggy dough forms.
Transfer to a lightly floured surface; knead until dough forms, about 5 turns. Pat into a 10x6" rectangle. Halve dough lengthwise. Cut each half crosswise into 4 squares. Cut each square diagonally in half into 2 triangles. Divide between baking sheets. Brush with 2 Tbsp. buttermilk. Sprinkle with sanding sugar.
Bake until scones are golden and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 13–15 minutes. Transfer to wire racks; let cool. Serve warm or at room temperature with lemon curd.
Source: Bon Appétit, May 2012
