Woo Your Valentine With Lemony Raspberry Scones

Katie Mythen-Lynch

Need to whip up a Valentine’s Day brekkie fit for the love of your life? Perhaps you need to forge a new alliance at work or convince a neighbourhood parent to be your Mom Friend during maternity leave?

Whoever you’re trying to woo, this twist on the run-of-the-mill scone will make you a domestic goddess, queen bee at the playground and the world’s best colleague at the office.

The secret to their romantic dusting of romantic pink is freeze-dried raspberries but they taste just as delicious without if you find these difficult to get your hands on.

Ingredients:

3 1/4 cups flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar + 2 tablespoons
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cups cold butter, cut into pieces
1 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 lemons, zested
2 lemons, sliced as thin as you can
melted butter for brushing
coarse sugar for sprinkling
1/2 cup freeze dried raspberries

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. In a small bowl, combine 1/3 cup sugar with about 1/2 of the grated lemon zest. Rub together with your fingers until combined and fragrant.

In large bowl combine the flour, lemon sugar, salt, baking soda and powder. Using your fingers, a fork or a pastry blender, cut in butter until it forms coarse crumbs. Stir in the buttermilk and vanilla, and add the remaining lemon zest. Add the juice from 2 of the zested meyer lemons. Stir with a spoon until a dough forms, using your hands to bring it together. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently.

Divide the dough in half and pat each into 7-inch round circles. Combine the remaining sugar and orange zest. Brush each scone with melted butter and top with a lemon slice. Gently press on the slice so it sticks, then poke a few holes in the slice down into the dough. The slice needs to be reeeeeally thin so the dough under it bakes. Sprinkle with coarse sugar. Cut each round into 4 or 6 slices, or use a biscuit cutter to make rounds. Bake the scones for 14 to 16 minutes, until the tops are slightly golden. Be sure to check right under the lemon slice to see if the scone is fully baked.

While the scones are baking, crush the freeze dried raspberries into powdery crumbs.

Sprinkle the raspberry crumbs over the scones before serving.