So tender and delicious! Orange and lemon zest make this one special. Recipe from Baking with Julia cookbook.

Buttermilk Scones

Wisk together in a large bowl:

3 cups AP flour

1/3 cup sugar

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

“shred” in, using a grater

1 1/2 sticks COLD unsalted butter

Work in butter, with fingertips or pastry blender, until crumbly. Don’t overdo it. Mix together:

1 cup buttermilk

1 tablespoon of grated zest, using both orange and lemon

Add buttermilk/zest to flour/butter mixture. (If you want to add dried, chopped fruit, like cherries, cranberries or blueberries, add 1/4 cup now). Use large fork to combine, just until dry disappears. Add a dash more buttermilk if needed. Dump dough unto floured surface and GENTLY knead, just until dough comes together, adding a bit more flour if it’s too sticky. DON’T overdo it. The less you work the dough, the more tender the results.

For circles, pat or roll out the dough to 1/2 inch thick, brush melted butter on the surface, sprinkle with sugar, and cut out with biscuit cutter. Gently reform scraps and cut out the rest.

For triangles, cut dough in half. Form each half into a 7 inch circle, brush with butter, sprinkle with sugar, and cut into 6 equal wedges.

Place scones on silicon or parchment lined baking sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake at 425 F until lightly browned, between 10 and 12 minutes. Best when served warm, with clotted cream and jam.

Clotted Cream

This classic from the British Isles is hard to come by here in the States. This version uses the common heavy cream in our grocery stores, but if you can find unpasteurized cream, the results will be even better.

Take one quart of heavy cream and pour it into a large glass or ceramic baking dish (9 X 12 works well). Leave it in a 170-180 degree oven for 10 to 12 hours. The surface will have a lumpy golden look at the end. Do not stir! Let it cool then place in a refrigerator for several hours or overnight.

Once completely cool, skim the solid surface off the liquid underneath, and place into a small container. Some of the liquid will come with the top, and that’s OK. (You can save the rest of the leftover liquid for baking. Set it aside.) Stir your skimmed clotted cream together to smooth it and put into the refrigerator. It will harden up and become an amazing alternative to tradition butter for use on biscuits, scones, toast, even savory uses. It isn’t sweet, but it’s like a creamy unsalted butter and has a slight nuttiness to it. You can let it warm up to room temp to make it easier to spread. Will keep in the fridge for 5 days.