Description
Zesty lemon poppy seed scones offer a delightful breakfast pastry with British roots. Crumbly, buttery textures and tangy citrus notes create a perfect morning companion for coffee or tea.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups (270 g) all-purpose flour
- 8 tbsps (113 g) butter
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
- 6 tbsps (75 g) sugar
- 1 ½ tbsps poppy seeds
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 medium lemon zest
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 cups (226 g) powdered sugar
- 3–4 tbsps (45–60 ml) milk or half and half
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preparation: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat to 400°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Ingredient Preparation: Quickly chill cream in freezer. Melt butter and let cool slightly. Combine dry ingredients with lemon zest and poppy seeds in mixing bowl.
- Dough Mixing: Retrieve chilled cream and blend with melted butter, creating a clumpy texture. Fold into dry ingredients using rubber spatula until flour is fully integrated, maintaining a thick, cookie-like consistency.
- Shaping: Spray cookie scooper with non-stick spray. Portion dough onto prepared sheet, spacing scones 2 inches apart. Refrigerate for 15 minutes to stabilize shape.
- Baking: Transfer scones to oven and bake until light golden brown, approximately 12-20 minutes, monitoring closely for optimal color and texture.
- Glazing: While scones bake, whisk powdered sugar, milk, and lemon juice into a smooth, pourable glaze. Adjust consistency as needed.
- Finishing: Remove scones from oven and transfer to wire rack. Once slightly cooled, drizzle with lemon glaze. Optionally garnish with additional poppy seeds. Allow glaze to set before serving.
Notes
- Chill Cream Carefully: Freezing heavy cream for exactly 10 minutes creates perfect small clumpy textures crucial for flaky scone texture.
- Prevent Dough Overworking: Gently fold ingredients to maintain a thick, cookie-like consistency and avoid tough, dense scones.
- Refrigerate Before Baking: Chilling unbaked scones for 15 minutes helps them retain sharp edges and prevents spreading during baking.
- Glaze Consistency Matters: Adjust powdered sugar and milk ratios to create a smooth, drizzle-friendly glaze that sets beautifully on warm scones.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 37 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 17 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 59 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg