This tasty little treat is great to make when lemons are in full season.  And lucky for us, that happens to be in winter when a little afternoon tea and scone break with a friend may be just what the doctor ordered.

You can use either a regular lemon, or a meyer lemon for this recipe.  The glaze on the top lends a shiny, zippy extra to your scones without making them too sweet.  Try making this dough up to one day in advance of baking.  The  scones will rise nice and high after giving the dough a rest in the fridge.

Lemon Poppy Seed Scones – makes 8 small or 12 mini scones

3 oz (6 TB) butter, cold
2 oz (scant 1/4 cup) sugar
7.5  oz (1 1/2 cups) flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
2 TB poppy seeds
Zest of one lemon
4 1/2 oz (1/2 cup and 1 TB) buttermilk
1 cup (3 oz) powdered sugar
juice of one lemon

Mix together the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and poppy seeds in a mixing bowl.  Cut the butter into several pieces, then cut the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter or two knives.  (This is the same technique you use making pie crust dough or biscuits.)  The mixture will be right when all the butter pieces are smaller than peas.  Add the buttermilk and gently mix until the dough just comes together.  Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes, or up to a day.

When you’re ready to bake the scones, heat oven to 400 degrees.

Pat the dough into a circle that is about 3/4 inch tall.  Cut the dough into 8 to 12 wedges, and space the pieces at least 2 inches apart on a baking sheet.  Bake until golden brown – about 20 minutes.

While scones are baking, mix together the lemon juice and powdered sugar to create a thin glaze.  When the scones are done baking, put them on a cooling rack.  While they are still hot, spoon the glaze over the top of each scone.  The glaze will harden and become shiny as the scones cool.  Serve warm or at room temperature.