I have a thing for scones. I’m not sure if it’s because I’ve always had a thing for British things (as a child, Harry Potter, more recently, Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock) or if it’s because they’re legitimately delicious. These cream scones, at least, have a definitive answer: they’re delicious! Two impartial judges proclaimed their worthiness. It could have been because they were hungry, but they aren’t really the scone liking type. Too poncy, they claim.
Poncy or not, these cream scones are everything scones should be: tender, moist and delicate. They were awesome warm from the oven – with sweet raspberries and tart lemon zest, they were full of the flavours of summer, kind of like raspberry lemonade. And, because they’re cream scones, there was no cold butter to cut in, no eggs to mix and no buttermilk. All I did is whisk everything up into a shaggy dough, pat, cut and bake.
My scones weren’t as tiny (I couldn’t find my tiny biscuit cutter) or as perfect as Joy the Baker’s, but they were pretty darn tasty. I love the way Joy’s scones look with their neat, straight sides, but my scones decided they were just going to be a little lazy and ended up sagging. I’m pretty sure it was because my cream wasn’t super cold – I took some time photographing it. Generally, the loft/height of scones and biscuits comes from cold fat exploding in a hot oven. Warm-ish cream = saggy scones.
Sagginess aside, these were super simple and, I suspect due to the lack of eggs and butter, super simple to vegan-ize. I didn’t get a chance to try, but I think these would be dreamy with full-fat coconut cream sitting in for the heavy cream. With toasted coconut and some dark chocolate, they’d be like vegan Mounds bar scones. I could seriously go on and on with scone variations…sometimes, when I’m bored, I do. What are your favourite kinds of scones?
i am dreamy, i am creamy: i am lemon raspberry cream scone!
Lemon Raspberry Cream Scones adapted from Joy the Baker
makes 6 2-inch scones
- zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup raspberries
- a bit to cream, to brush on top
- raw brown sugar, for sprinkles
Position a rack in the upper third of your oven and preheat to 425°F. Line a baking sheet and set aside.
In a medium bowl, rub the lemon zest into the sugar. Add the flour, baking powder and salt and mix well. Set aside.
In a liquid measuring cup, mix together the cream and vanilla. Pour the cream, in a thin stream, over the dry ingredients while gently mixing. Gently mix the raspberries in. If needed, a bit of cream, a teaspoon at a time to create a moist, but not overly sticky dough.
Move the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently pat into a 3/4 inch thick disk. Use a 2 inch biscuit cutter and cut out scones. Place the scones, 1-2 inches apart, on your prepared baking sheet and brush with cream and sprinkle with raw brown sugar. Chill, in the freezer for 15 minutes, if you’re looking for scones with straight sides.
Bake until golden brown and cooked through, about 12-14 minutes. Enjoy warm.
Those look so good; perfect for a Sunday breakfast! Any day breakfast, really. :)
thanks so much Yized! :D
I totally have a thing for scones too…they’re so fancy! Love this recipe :)
I always feel fancy when I eat scones :)
I love scones!! I love the idea of using fresh raspberries and lemon together! I was recently in London and had some delicious scones. I am not sure that I have met a scone that I disliked, but I really like currant cream scones. I love adding plenty of jam to them too :)
mmm current scones with clotted cream. SO. GOOD.
Wow! These look great and so simple. Definitely going to give them a try.
yay! hope you love them!
Ohmygahhh raspberry lemonade scones?! Hello, love. I’m a recent convert to scones (I’ve always found them too dry in the past), but your blog post made these sound absolutely scrumptious. XOXO
a dry scone is a sad scone :(
As a huge fan of Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock as well I trust you have already seen this but just in case:
“OTTERS WHO LOOK LIKE BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH”
http://redscharlach.tumblr.com/post/19565284869/otters-who-look-like-benedict-cumberbatch-a
haha.
hahaah. and yes. i’ve seen that!
I love scones, too! Seriously though I think every cream scone recipe I’ve ever tried had butter to cut in. This version is even simpler! Love it! Perfect for weekend breakfasts :)
it was so simple! and so delicious!
I’m not normally a fan of scones because of dryness, but if these are moist, I’m game. Also, I hate the word moist, but there’s just not a better one when describing foods, is there?
i know so many people who hate the word moist! but i have no idea what other word to use, if not moist! :P
I love scones too! Love love love! More so than cookies and cakes! These scones are making me suffer at 1am… But I love scones… Love scones….
hahah i have succumb to scone cravings at 1 in the morning before :)
Love the fresh looks of these with raspberries and lemon! Perfect for summer!!
they were super summery :D
Cream scones are my absolute favorite! and raspberries + lemon are always a welcome pair. Sometimes I scoop the shaggy scone dough into muffin cups…which saves me from overworking the dough AND making them cuter without any effort.
that’s an awesome idea! mini muffin cups would be so cute!
Scones, muffins, cookies – they all SEEM like they’d be a snap to make well but there are a dearth of good ones. There’s nowhere to hide with a scone – it either works or it doesn’t. And these look soooo good!
BTW, loving the composition and light…
thank you sandra! :D
I’m with you, I love all things British, including these lovely scones!
thanks abby! :)
Lemon. Raspberries. Cream. Scones. Come to mama! These look perrrrfecto.
thanks ashley!!
GIMME!!! They look sooo perfect!!! And I bet the fresh fruit makes them even more amazing!!!
i love fruit in my scones :)
These are really yummy! Made them last night and they’re just as good this morning. I don’t usually refrigerate scones but with the raspberries. I’m thinking they should maybe be in the fridge? I’m definitely making these again but next time I’m going to double the recipe. I want more!
none of the scones lasted in my house, but i think refrigerating is a good idea! toasting the next day is mandatory of course!
Yum! I did a variation on Joy’s scones recently, too, also adding raspberries like you did. But I like the idea of putting in some lemon zest, too — I’ll do that next time. http://taplatt.wordpress.com/2014/05/30/recipe-raspberry-cream-scones/
i like adding lemon zest to everything :)
I love this flavor combination. I like my scones to be sweet and tart, so these really hit the spot for me.
lemons and raspberries are best friends :)
Wow these look amazing and great photography too. I had planned on making chocolate cherry scones this morning, maybe I’ll reconsider.
chocolate cherry scones sound delicious as well!
These look so good! And great job on the photos.
Wondering if I could adjust the recipe and use gluten free flour…
Also like the idea of coconut milk replacing the cream. I think I will try making these over the weekend–definitely adding lemon zest.
Want to kick these scones up a notch. Add some shaved or white chocolate chips to the batter.
Now that’s decadent!
These sound (and look) AMAZING! Just wondering if it would work to replace cream with half and half?
I haven’t tried with half and half but I don’t think it would work as well since the cream is the only source of fat in this particular recipe.