Lavender Lemon Scones

I'm not a trendsetter. In fact, I seem to always be a bit late to the game. Especially when it comes to entertainment. Whether it's books, movies, or TV, I always find myself getting into something long after everyone else has already realized its awesomeness. (I didn't start reading Harry Potter until just before the 6th book came out.)

TV is the worst. I'm always the last to start watching things. I didn't fall hard for shows like Buffy, Angel, and Alias until they were long over. (And I've still never seen Lost.) My absolute favorite show on TV, Supernatural--it wasn't until this current season, its 8th, that I've actually watched them as they've aired. I'm always a bit behind.

Because of my habitual ignorance to anything popular, I completely missed the boat on the whole Downton Abbey deal. Until now.

I don't have Netflix or anything like it, and I'm poor, so to get caught up on what the cool kids are into, I rely on the library. Which means I put my name on a list and wait 4 months. After being nearly 500 names back for Downton Abbey, my turn finally came, and I totally binged on all things Crawley. (As much as you can binge on a series that only has 7-9 episodes per season.)

After immersing myself in hours of high British life, I found myself craving scones. And wanting to talk to the cat in a (very bad) accent, but let's not mention that part.

I wanted a scone that was light and delicate-- so I settled on lavender and lemon. A bright fresh flavor with a hint of floral tones-- they were the just what I was looking for. Warmed and drizzled with honey, they were the perfect breakfast (and afternoon snack) these past few days.

I had a bit of a hard time tracking down dried lavender that I could bake with though. My quest took me to 2 kitchen stores, 2 craft stores, Trader Joe's, and some specialty French store that only sold dried bundles for fragrance and decoration. But I finally scored some at World Market for pretty cheap. (And on my quest, I realized just how lucky I am to live near a shopping area that has all of this and more in the vicinity, so I didn't have to drive all over town.)

They're a cinch to put together, after you track down your ingredients, and you'll be pulling from the oven beautiful, delicious scones to serve with afternoon tea in no time. That is, if you like tea. (Which I don't...)

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Lavender Lemon Scones
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen and America’s Test Kitchen
Makes 8 scones



2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
4 tablespoons granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling
½ teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1 teaspoon dried lavender
Zest of 1 lemon, about 1 tablespoon
1 cup heavy cream, plus 2 tablespoons for brushing

1. In a medium measuring cup or bowl, add lavender and lemon zest to 1 cup heavy cream. Let steep in refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Preheat oven to 425F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner; set aside.
3. In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, 4 tablespoons granulated sugar, and salt. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut in butter until it resembles coarse crumbs, with some of the butter the size of peas, and others that look like flakes of oatmeal. Make a well in the center of the flour mix and add heavy cream mixture. Stir with a rubber spatula or a wooden spoon until dough is moistened through and starts to hold together.
4. Turn out onto a clean work surface and knead the dough together 2 or 3 times until all the crumbly, dry bits are incorporated and dough comes together. Pat dough into an 8-inch circle. Using a large knife or a bench scraper, cut dough into 8 wedges. Transfer dough to prepared baking sheet.
5. With a pastry brush, brush tops of scones with remaining 2 tablespoons of heavy cream. Sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake scones 12 to 15 minutes, or until bottoms are golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool before serving.