Blackberry Lemon Scones

 

The zest and juice of lemon adds a burst of flavor to your baked goods and pastries. These whole wheat scones are perfect for a lazy summer breakfast with the family or afternoon tea with friends.

Yield: 8 scones
Preparation: 10 minutes
Baking: 20 minutes

½ cup fresh blackberries
1 ¾ cup white whole wheat flour
2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
¼ cup raw cane sugar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
Zest of 1 lemon*
Juice of 1 lemon*
½ cup + 1 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon raw cane sugar (for topping)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a small dish, combine the blackberries with 1 teaspoon of the flour and 1 teaspoon of the sugar. Stir to coat the berries, and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, stir together the remaining flour, baking powder, remainder of the ¼ cup of sugar, the salt and the lemon zest. Add the butter cubes and using two knives or a pastry blender, work the butter into the dry ingredients until it is in pea-size pieces and distributed throughout the flour.

Stir the lemon juice into the blackberries. Add the berries to the dough and gently stir to incorporate. Add the milk and continue to stir until the dough comes together and you can form a ball.

Transfer the dough ball to an ungreased baking sheet. Gently press the ball out to form a flat, round disk about ½ inch in thickness. Cut the disk like a pie, into 8 equal pieces. Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the scones.

Bake for 17 to 20 minutes or until the center is firm and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow the scones to cool for at least 5 minutes, use a serrated knife to make the final cuts through the scones following the pattern made before baking. Serve warm or at room temperature.