Strawberry Lemonade Scones

Not only is it blueberry season but it's also STRAWBERRY SEASON!  I love strawberries but I find they aren't used enough in baking.  After picking up a whole bag of lemons for cheap and now having flats of strawberries and tons of lemons, I need to consume them!  There's only so many strawberries and lemons that Mr. Piglet and I can eat in one sitting so now I have to find a way to use them up.  A quick Google and this what I come up with.  Enjoy!

Tools needed:

• Sifter
• Large bowl
• Working surface for kneading
• Measuring spoons and cups
• Zester
• Spatula
• Stand mixer or medium bowl with electric mixer
• Parchment paper or silicon baking mat
• Baking sheet
• Pastry cutter

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons cane sugar (granulated white sugar can be substituted)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed and then chilled
• 1 cup diced fresh strawberries
• 1/2 cup freeze-dried strawberries
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup half and half (or heavy cream or milk can be substituted)
• Flour for dusting
• Lemon curd for drizzling or dipping
• Sifted powdered sugar for dusting

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 400F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat and flour generously.  Set aside.  Generously flour a working surface.  

2.  Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.  Zest a lemon into a small bowl and add the sugar to the bowl.  Mash the sugar and lemon zest together to release the essential oils in the zest.  Add the lemon sugar mixture to the flour mixture and stir.  Add the chilled cubed butter to the flour mixture and cut the butter into small pieces with the pastry cutter.  Mix butter into the flour mixture - it should look like course crumbs after being mixed.  Carefully mix in the diced and freeze-dried strawberries.  Make a well in the centre of the mixture and set aside.


3.  In the stand mixer or medium bowl with an electric mixer, whisk together the eggs and half and half until thoroughly mixed.

4.  Add the egg mixture to the well in the flour mixture and carefully combine the two parts without mixing too much.  Just when the liquid as disappeared pour out the mixture on a well-floured working surface.  Knead this mixture together about 7-8 times, folding the dough on itself each time.  Move the dough to the prepared baking sheet.  Shape and pat the dough so that it's flat and round and about 3/4 inch thick.  Cut the circle into 8 pieces, separating each one slightly.  

5.  Bake 16-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center of the scone comes out clean.  Remove from oven and place baking sheet on a cooling rack.  You can drizzle with prepared lemon curd and dust with sifted powdered sugar if you wish.


6.  Eat and enjoy!

(Recipe adapted from Munchkin Munchies)