Blueberry Scones
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 15 minutes plus 10 minutes soaking time
Cooking time: 25 minutes
- 120g/4ozs dried blueberries (you can also use 150g/5ozs frozen blueberries)
-
1 cup/250ml/8.8flozs boiling water
-
2 cups/300g/10.6ozs plain all purpose flour
- 50g/1.7ozs caster or superfine sugar
- 3.5 teaspoons/18g baking power
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 120g/4ozs cold butter, cut into cubes
- 160ml/5.6flozs buttermilk
- Finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1/2 egg beaten for egg wash
- 3 tablespoons raw sugar
Step 1 - Preheat oven to 200C/400F and line a baking tray with parchment. First soak the blueberries in the boiling water (if using frozen blueberries you can skip this step). Cover and allow to rehydrate for 10 minutes. Drain well and spread out on a double layer of paper towels.
Step 2 - Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, cream or tartar and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. Then add the butter and pulse until you get a sandy texture. Place into a large bowl. Whisk the milk, lemon zest and vanilla together and add this to the bowl and knead it all in until it just comes together (do not overknead). Add the blueberries.
Step 2b Thermomix directions: Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, cream or tartar and salt in the Thermomix and set to 10 secs, speed #5.5. Add the butter and set to 15 seconds, Speed #5. Place into a large bowl. Whisk the milk, lemon zest and vanilla together and add this to the bowl and knead it all in until it just comes together (do not overknead). Add the blueberries.
Step 3 - Place the dough onto a sheet of parchment and shape into a round around 3/4 inch high (it will expand out when baking so just keep this in mind for your baking tray). Cut into 8 triangles. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle raw sugar on top. Bake for 25-28 minutes turning halfway through the process checking the centre is done and no longer soft or doughy. You can also dust it with icing sugar too at the end just before serving. Serve with blueberry jam and cream or butter.