SCONE HEADS
A one-bowl pastry from a Southern bakery
Blueberry Buttermilk Biscones with Lemon Zest Glaze
Recipe adapted from "The Back in the Day Bakery Cookbook" by Cheryl and Griffith Day (Artisan)
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
Salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1 1/2 cups buttermilk, plus more as needed
1 large egg
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Directions
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour with the cake flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, 3/4 teaspoon of the salt and cardamom until combined. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, work in the butter until you have various-size pieces ranging from sandy patches to pea-size chunks and some larger bits as well. Gently stir in the blueberries.
3. Gradually pour in the buttermilk and gently fold the mixture until there are no bits of flour remaining in the bottom of the bowl. If the dough seems dry, add a little more buttermilk until it is moist and slightly sticky.
4. Using your hands, gently pat down the dough until it resembles a loaf of bread. Using a large ice-cream scoop, scoop mounds of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, arranging them about 1 inch apart. Lightly tap down the tops of the biscones with the scoop.
5. In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg with a pinch of salt. Brush the tops of the biscones liberally with the egg wash. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, until the biscones are golden and fully baked. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the confectioners' sugar with the grated lemon zest and juice until smooth and creamy. Drizzle over the biscones and serve immediately.
Finishing Touches
It's the details that count! Try these tips
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Try a more savory biscone recipe, like this sweet-tea-brined fried chicken on a biscone.
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To make these scones authentically Southern in style, the Days recommend using White Lily flour. Substitute it for all 3 cups of flour called for in the recipe. This will result in a crispy, flaky biscone.
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Recreate the bakery's vintage vibe by sourcing serving pieces (or giftable packing materials) from one of the Days' recommended resources such as Terrain, Herriott Grace or Sweet Lulu.
