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Blueberry Lemon and Blackberry Thyme Buttermilk Scones

Print Recipe
Course Dessert
Keyword blackberry, blueberry, buttermilk, lemon, scones
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 8 tbsp. 113 g / 1 stick unsalted butter, frozen whole
  • 1½ cups 7½ oz. fresh blueberries (or blackberries for variation)
  • ½ cup buttermilk
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • 2 cups 250 g / 10 oz. all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the work surface
  • ½ cup 96 g sugar, plus 1 tbsp., plus extra for sprinkling
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • ¼ tsp. baking soda
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest plus 1 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped for variation
  • 2 tbsp. unsalted butter melted

Instructions

  • Adjust an oven rack to middle position and preheat to 425˚ F. Grate the frozen butter on the holes of a large box grater. (You can use a food processor if you prefer.)
  • Whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, and heavy cream in a medium bowl; refrigerate until needed. Combine the flour, ½ cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and lemon zest (and thyme if using) in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the grated butter to the flour mixture and toss with fingers until thoroughly coated.
  • Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients and fold with a spatula just until combined. Transfer the dough to a generously floured work surface. Dust the top of the dough with flour and form the dough into a ragged ball, kneading lightly as needed. Add small amounts of flour as needed to prevent sticking.
  • Blueberry Buttermilk Scones
  • Roll the dough (I simply pat it out gently with my hands) into a 12-inch square. Fold the dough into thirds like a business letter carefully, making sure it isn’t sticking. Fold the short ends of the dough into the center in thirds, to form an approximate 4-inch square. At this point the dough can be transfer thto a plate lightly dusted with flour and chilled in the freezer for 5 minutes to make it easier to work with (I skip this step).
  • Return the dough to the floured work surface and roll (or pat) into an approximately 12-inch square again. Sprinkle the blueberries (or blackberries) evenly over the surface of the dough, and gently press down so that they are slightly embedded in the dough surface. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp of sugar. Gently roll the dough up to form a tight log. Lay the log seam side down and carefully press the the log into a 12 by 4-inch rectangle. Using a sharp, floured knife or bench scraper, cut the rectangle crosswise into 4 equal rectangles. Cut each rectangle diagonally to form 2 triangles. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet.
  • Brush the tops of the scones with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar. (If freezing ahead of time, flash freeze on the baking sheet for 20 minutes, then wrap individually and store in a freezer bag until needed. To bake from frozen bake directly from freezer for about 20-27 minutes. Do not thaw.) Bake until the tops and bottoms are golden brown, 18-25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool 10 minutes before serving.