Simply delicious lemon poppy seed scones

For a couple of decades we have loved our lemon poppy seed muffins. It is a great combination of flavors. When I stumbled across a recipe for lemon poppy seed scones I was intrigued. In all my baking life I had never tried scones. In fact, the only place I have ever encountered one is Starbucks. Scones are a good choice: they are not too sweet and not too heavy. This particular recipe calls for whole grain flour, a nutritional improvement over your typical white flour scone. However, you might want to try the scone with half all-purpose (white) flour on your first pass, particularly if the flour is not fresh. In any case, after making these lemon poppy seed scones, I doubt I will ever make the muffins again. These scones are phenomenal. They are also very filling. We raked and moved leaves for three hours after having one of these lemon poppy seed beauties with tea.

Be forewarned, the cost of these scones is high unless you have a good source for bulk poppy seed. Another thrifty tip is to buy whipping cream on sale or in bulk (if you can find it) and freeze it in user-friendly portions. Cream freezes well if you are using it for baking.

Lemon Poppy Seed Scones Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups spelt flour (or 1/2 wheat/ 1/2 all purpose flour)
• 1/2 rounded cup sugar (a whole sugar like sucanat works well)
• 1/2 rounded cup poppy seeds
• 1 cup boiling water
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1 3/4 cups whipping cream
• 3 tablespoons lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 3 tablespoons sugar

Lemon Poppy Seed Scones Steps

1. Pour the boiling water over the poppy seeds. This is a bit like plumping raisins before using them. You just get more of the flavor you’ve paid for.
2. Oil a cooky sheet. Coconut oil is less likely to burn.
3. Thoroughly mix all the dry ingredients.
4. Measure the cream into a separate medium sized bowl.
5. Stir in the egg and lemon zest. Mix well.
6. Drain the liquid from the poppy seeds using a fine strainer such as one used for tea.
7. Thoroughly mix the poppy seeds into the cream.
8. Make a hole in the dry ingredients. Pour in the cream mixture. Combine lightly. Do not over-mix or knead this dough lest it get tough.
9. Shape dough into three lumps of equal size and arrange on cooky sheet. Press the lumps into flat circles about a half inch thick.
10. Using an oiled knife, cut each circle into quarters. Do not separate the quarters. Keep the circles intact for baking.
11. Bush the tops and sides of the scones with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar.
12. Bake at 350 degrees for about a half hour or until the tops are starting to brown.

Have cups of tea ready when these lovelies come out of the oven. They will break apart easily in the places you scored them before baking. Open a scone and smear on a little soft butter. Mmmmm.