Lemon sugar cube scones

Lemon sugar cube scones
  • Serves icon Makes 20
  • Time icon Hands-on 10 min, oven 12-15 min

Take afternoon tea to the next level with lemon scones – they’re topped with lemon-soaked sugar cubes, which melt to form a zingy, chewy crust. A fab choice for afternoon tea, Easter weekend or Mother’s Day.

Or, for lemon scones topped with a boozy lemon cream, make these limoncello and blueberry scones.

Nutrition: per serving

Calories
127kcals
Fat
2.8g (1.7g saturated)
Protein
2.5g
Carbohydrates
22.5g (7.4g sugars)
Fibre
0.8g
Salt
0.4g
Calories
127kcals
Fat
2.8g (1.7g saturated)
Protein
2.5g
Carbohydrates
22.5g (7.4g sugars)
Fibre
0.8g
Salt
0.4g

Per scone

Ingredients

  • 400g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 50g caster sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 60g unsalted butter
  • 310ml buttermilk
  • Finely grated zest 2 lemons,  juice 1 lemon
  • 20 sugar cubes
  • Milk to glaze

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 230°C/210°C fan/gas 8 and line a large baking sheet with baking paper. Put the flour, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl, then rub in the butter with your fingers until the mix resembles breadcrumbs.
  2. Pour in most of the buttermilk and mix with a butter knife. Add the lemon zest and remaining buttermilk, then form the dough into a ball using your hands.
  3. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead it a few times. Pat or roll out the dough to a 2cm thickness, then stamp out 3-4cm rounds with a scone/cookie cutter (or use the top of a round drinking glass). Bring the scraps together, then re-pat/roll and stamp again. You should have about 20 small scones.
  4. Place the scones close together on the prepared baking sheet. Squeeze the lemon juice into a small bowl, then drop in the sugar cubes. Turn them in the juice, then remove to a plate (discard the juice). Push one lemon sugar cube into the centre of each scone. Brush the tops with a little milk, then bake for 12-15 minutes until risen and golden. The scones are best served on the day they’re made, with lashings of butter or jam and cream.

delicious. tips

  1. For soft scones, wrap them in a tea towel as soon as they come out of the oven and serve warm. If you prefer crusty scones, don’t wrap them, but leave to cool slightly on a wire rack before serving.

Recipe By

Rebecca Sullivan

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