My Scones are better than yours... A battle of scones... or is it???

Legend has it that the Irishman would set up a tray each night for his Mum and Dad. He would place a steaming pot of tea, scones, Irish butter, and homemade blackberry or strawberry jam on that tray.

In the early days, the Irishman's Mum would make the scones with the Irishman by her side. As time passed, the  Irishman grew more skilled and independent and took charge of the scone-making himself. The Irishman’s scones were traditional scones made with Irish butter, plump raisins, or black currants, and while I am sure they were delicious, the Irishman has yet to make them for me…

Recently, on a whim, I found the urge to bake some blackberry scones, I had found some plump, succulent blackberries at my favorite market, and I could not resist. When I owned my beloved bakery, Cake Bakeshop, scones were one of our many claims to fame.

Ah, those scones! They were seasonal savory and sweet scones, lovingly crafted before the sun even thought about rising. When the first group of surfers stumbled up the hill, craving their caffeine fix and a piping hot scone, plump, buttery pillows of deliciousness would be fresh out of the oven, ready to warm their sandy feet and souls. Oh, how I long for those days, the magic of my shop and the soothing embrace of the beach. Truly, I do miss it so very much. The fruit scones were loaded with seasonal fruits: peaches, strawberries, cranberries, etc. The savory scones were loaded with brown sugar bacon, cheddar cheese and chives or feta cheese, house-made sundried tomatoes and spinach, and my favorite, Braeburn apples, fresh sage, and Gruyere cheese.

When I presented the freshly baked Blackberry scone to the Irishman, he looked at the scone-like it was a foreign object, and he had no desire even to take a nibble. Most people would have been hurt, but I was not; I told the Irishman that I would make it my mission to make scones like the ones he made for his Mum and Dad one of these days, but not today…

Blackberry Lemon Scones (Makes 6 larger scones)

Preheat oven to 400* and prepare a sheet pan with parchment paper or Silpat

2 1/2 cups c flour ( I prefer unbleached flour)

1/2 cup whole wheat flour (gives a nice nutty flavor)

1 tbls baking powder

1 tsp salt

6 oz unsalted butter

3/4 cup buttermilk

1 egg

1 ½ cups fresh blackberries (can substitute fresh blueberries or strawberries or any fresh fruit you love; make them your own)

Zest from 1 lemon

Place flour, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest in a bowl and mix. Cut in butter till it resembles crumbs. Whip egg into buttermilk and slowly fold buttermilk/egg mixture into flour mixture. Be gentle and try not to over-mix too much. Gently fold in the blackberries.

Turn the dough on a lightly floured surface and mold it into a circle. Cut into equal wedges; think about how you cut a pie as a guide; that will help.

Place the scones on the sheet pan and bake for 14 minutes; flip the tray and bake for 14 minutes. Scones can be frozen when unbaked. If you freeze them unbaked, bake them from frozen: bake at 400* for 20 minutes and then flip for 20 minutes. Scones can be frozen, baked, or reheated from frozen.

Bia maith leat.  Bon Appetit. Spis godt