Coming from Israel, it’s not every day that I get to share a Christmas recipe. But I’m thrilled to share this one that will definitely please your family and is very easy to make.
Scones are among of my favorite pastries. They’re crumbly, earthy, not too sweet and full of holiday flavors. They make a perfect winter breakfast. You can prepare the recipe on Christmas Eve and then just pop it to the oven before the kids wake up the next morning. They are super easy and fast to make!
Ginger Lemon Mint Scones
- 2 cups flour
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 stick cold butter cut to little pieces
- 2 egg yolks
- ½ cup of buttermilk
- 1 lemon, zest + juice
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- 2 teaspoon of fresh cut mint
Directions:
1. Mix all the dry ingredients together.
2. In a separate bowl, mix all the wet ingredients together.
3. Cut the butter into coarse pieces and then add them to the dry mix. Slowly start incorporating the butter inside the flour mix. The mixture will start to look like coarse crumbs. You want it to look sandy, so the butter is well incorporated in the mix but not too much. Be careful not to over-mix!
4. Add the wet mixture to the dry one. Start mixing it with your hands until you get it all combined. Again, be careful not to over mix.
5. Flatten the dough into half-inch-thick rectangle ( about 12 by 6). Wrap it well with plastic and store in the fridge.
Next morning:
Pre-heat the oven to 400F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Cut the dough into rectangles with a knife or a bencher. Put the scones on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
Lightly brush the scones with buttermilk. Bake about 15 minutes until golden brown.
Tips for good scones:
1. Don’t over mix—the scones will be dense and dry. Just combine all ingredients together.
2. Butter must be cold! It’s OK if you have some butter pieces in the dough—in the oven they will help to create air pockets and make the scones flaky.
3. The oven must be very hot so the scones will rise nicely!
4. You can omit the lemon, mint or ginger, put orange zest instead or add cinnamon or other spices. This is a good basic recipe to play around with!
5. You can cut the dough into circles if that’s your favorite shape.
6. You can freeze the scones for up to 3 months and re-heat them. Freezing the batter, pre-shaped, is even better.
About the author: Galit Greenfield is a pastry chef, workshop leader and owner of Sweet Galit. She is the mother of a baby girl and is an active docent at the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center. She is a graduate of the French Pastry School in Chicago, and worked in communications in Israel before moving to the U.S.
