Blueberry Scones

There’s always a touch of ennui when strawberry season fades just as summer is getting underway. Fortunately it is short lived, as berry lovers are able to turn their attention to the mighty blueberry. Loaded with antioxidants and spectacular flavor, blueberries are in season all summer long and can be used in so many wonderful ways.

July is National Blueberry Month and blueberries are showing up everywhere! Eaten in pies, jams, muffins or by the handful, if you can cook it, bake it, brew it or process it, blueberries just might make it better. Case in point: the blueberry scone.

Often associated with English afternoon tea, scones are a lightly sweetened quick bread leavened with baking powder. More biscuit than muffin, these flaky pastries can be enjoyed any time of day.  Sometimes served with butter or (even better) clotted cream, scones may be baked plain, glazed or with ingredients sweet or savory, including dried fruits or cheese.  My favorite? Well, it is blueberry month, after all.

The trick to success when making scones is, as with American biscuits, to avoid overworking the dough. Once the wet ingredients are added, less is more when seeking that flaky perfection. Work the dough only until it comes together and don’t worry about the blueberries breaking up a little.  You can’t make a luscious blueberry scone without breaking a few berries.

Blueberry Scones

• 6 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ sticks cold butter
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup blueberries
• Egg wash (1 egg and 1 tablespoon water, whisked together)
• Demerara sugar (granular sugar may be substituted)

Combine flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl.

Cube butter and cut into flour with a pastry blender or fork until small lumps form.

In a separate bowl, whisk milk and eggs together.

Create a well in dry ingredients and pour in milk/egg blend.

As dough begins to come together, add blueberries and stir until fully combined.

Knead just enough to form dough into a ball.

Turn dough onto a floured surface and roll to 1” thickness.

Stamp into disks using a biscuit cutter or into triangles with a knife.

Arrange on a greased baking sheet, brush with egg wash and sprinkle with demerara sugar.

Bake at 475 degrees for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Transfer to wire rack to cool.