Lavendar Scones & Morning Tea

This morning I had the honor of hosting two friends from church for a late morning tea party. It was so much fun! I just love getting together with other ladies and drinking tea, while discussing life, faith, marriage, and all other practical affairs. Perhaps my love for Jane Austen's writing and classical music (and the era it was composed) feeds this desire for more relaxed times, when drinking tea and nibbling on small delicacies were the order of the day.

I started making my little tea treats yesterday afternoon in order to be less rushed today and it worked out great. I crafted homemade bruschetta to go on toasted bread triangles and pesto, for the puffed pinwheels. Then, I baked lemon bars and banana bread and adapted a recipe I found online to make lavender scones with a hint of lemon. Lavender is popping up in multiple gardens nearby and I had the privilege of receiving a large bagful of fresh, fragrant lavender from my neighbor. (Thanks Melissa!) I think I put it to good use this morning. The scones were soft and crumbly and went perfectly with the rhubarb jam Ken and I made a couple weeks ago.

 Well, off I go to clean up. Enjoy these visual mementos and the recipe that follows!

Lavender Scones with Lemon

Adapted from Pam Anderson's "Simple Scones" recipe

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

2-3 teaspoons fresh lavender, chopped fine
8 tablespoons butter, frozen, chopped into small pieces
1/2 cup raisins (or dried currants)
1/2 cup sour cream or heavy cream

1 large egg

1 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

In a food processor, combine all dry ingredients and lavender. Pulse a few seconds until mixed. Add in the frozen butter (cut into pieces) and process it for few more seconds, until well blended. Next, combine the sour cream or heavy cream, egg and 1 1/2 tsp. lemon extract. Pulse the mixture a couple of times, being careful not to over mix. 

Transfer the dough mixture to a floured surface and shape lightly into a circle. Be careful not to press down hard on the dough or handle it roughly as you want to maintain the buttery layers. Cut the circle into 8 triangles and lay them about 1 inch apart on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle 1 tsp. sugar over the tops of the scones. Bake at 400 degrees 15-17 minutes, until golden. Serve warm or at room temperature with fresh jam, whipped cream or butter.