Blueberry lavender scones

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By: Chef Irene

Yield: 8 to 12 scones

Ingredients

• ½ cup dried blueberries
• 1 Earl Grey tea bag 
• ½ to 1 cup boiling water
• 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, cold
• ¼ cup sugar
• pinch salt
• 1 egg
• ½ cup + 2 tbsp 35% cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp dried lavender buds
• 1 lightly beaten egg for egg wash
• Fine or course sugar for topping

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350⁰F.
2. Put dried blueberries and tea bag together in a small bowl. Cover with boiling water, set aside.
3. Sift dry ingredients together into a large bowl. 
4. Cut cold butter into small cubes, then add to dry ingredients and “cut in” with a pastry cutter or clean, dry hands, until the butter is the size of peas.
5. Once the blueberry and tea mixture has cooled, remove the tea bag and drain the blueberries.
6. Make a well in the mixture and add the egg, cream, vanilla, drained blueberries and dried lavender.
7. Mix with your hands to moisten dry ingredients, then turn the mass onto a flour-dusted surface and briefly knead to make a dough. Finish by folding the dough over itself several times to create layers.
8. Cover the dough and let it rest for up to 20 minutes, then roll out to approximately 2 cm thick. 
9. Cut out the scones (squares, rounds or triangles – whatever is your preference). 
10. Brush the surface of each with egg wash, then lightly sprinkle with sugar. 
11. Bake scones in oven for 12-18 minutes (time will vary depending on size of scone and type of oven.)
12. Test finished scones by lifting one up at the end of baking; they should be golden brown and lightweight, as the moisture has been baked away. 

Cool and enjoy.