Homemade Scones for Brunch, Deliciously Accessorize the Table

Brunch is my favorite meal to host guests because it's casual and seemingly never ending. On the menu: eggs Florentine, bagels with all kinds of accessories (cheeses, lox, tuna salad, egg salad) and homemade scones. Scones are a savory accent to tea and a wonderful option to consider for your next brunch. 

Lemon-Cranberry Scones

Ingredients

3 cups all purpose flour plus extra for shaping

1/2 cup sugar

Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon baking power

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2inch cubes

3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 cut dried cranberries 

1 cup confectioner's sugar

Preheat the oven to 375degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Whisk the flour, sugar, lemon zest, baking power, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Add the butter and work it in with your fingertips until there are no pieces larger than a small pea. 

Whist the buttermilk and applesauce together in a large liquid measuring cup. (I just do in in another bowl.) Add half of the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and stir with a fork. (Yes, a fork - I tried this once with my mixer. It's unnecessary and less effective.) Pour the remaining buttermilk mixture and add the dried cranberries. Stir until just combined. (Don't worry, it will look a bit clumpy.)

Lightly flour a work surface. Divide the dough in half and sprinkle the top of each piece with a little flour and then pat into a 1-inch-thick round that is about 5 1/4 inches in diameter. Using a long sharp knife or pizza wheel, divide each round into 6 wedges, like a pie. Place the wedges on the baking sheet and bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes on the pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. 

While the scones cool, make the glaze. Whisk 1/4 cup of lemon juicy and the confectioners' sugar together in a small bowl. Use a spoon to drizzle the glaze over the cooled scones. (I found that this make a LOT of glaze, enough to drizzle over 24+ scones.)

MAKES 12 SCONES

This recipe comes from my friend Candice Kumai's (of Top Chef fame) debut book  Pretty Delicious. Her second book Cook Yourself Sexy, comes out in October 2012.