I made these scones for my fellow volunteers at the food locker.  I bring some baked goods every once and a while for them to try and tell me what they think.  This recipe was a hit.

I am partial to cream scones.  When my son was young, there were many days that he didn’t feel like eating breakfast.  I couldn’t find anything that was appetizing to him.  Now, today, he eats breakfast regularly.  In the earlier years, to enticing him to eat, I would make cream scones with mini chocolate chips.  That would always do the trick.  It’s not the healthiest meal but I wouldn’t make them every day either.  Cream scones are so easy and quick.  I could prep them in 15 minutes and stick them in the oven for another 15 minutes while I would finish getting ready for work.

Today’s recipe came about because my lemon tree is full of beautiful yellow fruit.  Looking for lemon recipes, I found a lemon scone one in The Joy of Cooking.  Great!  As I read over the ingredients, I had everything.  It called for golden raisins and I remembered that one of the volunteers doesn’t care for raisins, plus they just didn’t sound right for this scone.  I kept reading and it did suggest some substitutions for the raisins, like dried apricots, dried blueberries and others.  I didn’t have any on hand but I did have a bit of white chocolate chips.  Well, they aren’t officially called “white chocolate”.  They are called “Choc-au-lait Vanilla Milk Chips”.  A mouthful, but so is the taste.  I always buy Guittard to bake with.  They are the best but I have to stay away from their Milk Chocolate Chips because I’ll eat the whole bag before they make it into any recipe.  Their chocolate is divine.  So, white chocolate chips, it is, I thought.

I don’t usually glaze my scones.  In fact, I am horrible with glazes and frostings.  I can never get them right.  I’ll tell you what I did and you can decide whether to add it or not.  Most people liked it the way I made it but some said it didn’t need the glaze.  Make your own if you have a better one.  In fact, send me the recipe!  I could really use the help.

Ingredients

2 cups Unbleached Flour

1/3 cup + 1 Tbl. Sugar

1 Tbl. Baking Powder

1/2 tsp. Salt

1-2 Lemons for 1 Tbl. Lemon Zest and 3 Tbl. Lemon Juice

1/4 cup White Chocolate Chips

1 1/4 cups Cream

For scones:

Preheat the over to 425 degrees.  Make sure the rack is in the center of the oven.

Whisk together the Flour, Sugar, Baking Powder, and Salt in a large bowl. 

Add the grated Lemon Zest.  I used a microplane.  Have I told you how much I love this tool?

Add the White Chocolate Chips.

Stir with a spatula until the Lemon Zest and Chocolate Chips are mixed in.  Add the Cream and continue to stir until the dough gets too stiff.  Continue mixing with your hands.Once the dough is formed, dust a little flour in a 12 inch round pan or cookie sheet.  Knead the dough right in the pan five or six times.  I got this trick from my nephew, Peter.  He is an actual chef!  The recipe says to turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface and knead 5 – 6 times.  When Peter saw me do this, he suggested to do it right in the pan.  What a genius!  The pan takes no special preparation and the dough won’t stick to it while you knead.  Saves time and clean-up.  Perfect.

Anyway, once you have kneaded the dough, roll it out to an 8 inch circle with a rolling pin.

Slice the circle into 12 pieces.

Pull 1/2 inch apart.

Brush with cream. There is usually just enough in the previously used measuring cups.

Bake in a 425 degree oven for 12 -15 minutes.

For Glaze:

Mix the 3 Tbls. Lemon Juice with 2/3 cups Confectioner’s Sugar.  Pour over the scones.

Like I said earlier, I’m not totally happy with this glaze.  It was very thin, so it gave the scones a very light cover and mostly drained down the pan.  You might like a thicker one.  I think something like a donut type icing.  If you know of one, please comment below.

Makes 12 servings of 163 Calories, 3.7 grams Fat, 30.4 grams Carbs, 2.9 grams Protein. (without the glaze)

The best music in the early morning for me is the Classical station on NPR.  No news, please, just soothing, upbeat music.

These scones are quick and easy – worth a try.