Easy Like Wednesday Morning

I like tea, so I like scones, but I have the feeling if you're more of a coffee drinker scones don't quite scratch your breakfast itch. Nevertheless, as tea is the better beverage anyhow, I am confident in saying that everyone should know at least one good recipe for making scones. Here's mine.

Blueberry Lemon Scones

recipe stolen adapted from here

2 C flour plus some for the pan (I used whole wheat)

1/4 C sugar plus some for sprinkling

1/4 C butter

3/4 C plain yogurt (or flavored if you're going for a different spin)

1 egg

1 T baking powder

1/4 t salt

1/4 t baking soda

1 lemon

1 C fresh or frozen blueberries

Preheat your oven to 415.

In a large bowl combine all the dry ingredients, then add the butter in little cubes. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients however you like to do it-- with a pastry cutter, fork, knives, whatever; I tend to use a fork until I give up and just hand squish-- until the dry ingredients feel mealy. 

Form a little cauldron in the dry ingredients, and into it crack your egg and add the yogurt and the zest of your lemon. I also squeezed half the lemon juice in at this point. Once all your liquids are in, mix well and then GENTLY fold in your berries. If you're too rough with them, they'll burst and your scones will be purple streaked. 

Now dust your counter generously with flour and blop your dough onto it. It will be very sticky. Just pat it down into a circle about an inch thick, then flour the top fairly generously as well. Slice it carefully into eight wedges and put them on a cookie sheet. They'll expand a bit, so make sure to leave some room. While they're on the sheet, squeeze the other half of the lemon over them and sprinkle sugar generously on their damp tops-- if you have the big grain sugar, that would be nice here too.

Let them bake for 20 minutes, or until they spring back when poked.

These scones are best enjoyed leisurely, with salted butter and strong black tea, and as fresh-out-of-the-oven warm as possible.

I found that this recipe is a little cakier than what I'm used to for scones, tender and moist and just sweet enough.

And by popular request, I'll give you the peanut gallery's reaction:

See? They're good. Even (especially?) for a lil' sickie.