If I could choose one flavor of scone to eat for the rest of time, this would be it. Scones get a bad rap for being heavy, dense, and dry. But a good scone is buttery, light, and has a crisp exterior with a nice crumble underneath. These scones deliver that perfect texture, along with the flavor of Korean honey yuzu (also known as honey citron) tea. If you have not tried Korean honey citron tea, I urge you to stop reading immediately and get yourself to an Asian grocery store to pick some up. This tea typically comes in a jar and has a marmalade-like texture, packed with yuzu peel and honey.
This is my first time baking with honey citron tea. Usually, I just add a heaping spoonful to hot water for an incredibly soothing and delicious drink. For these scones, the citrus flavor from the tea is given a boost from a hint of lemon zest and juice, and is balanced with some ground ginger and finely chopped crystallized ginger. The bite of the ginger and the bright flavor of the lemon and yuzu make for a truly delightful scone, so much so that I’ve made this recipe three times in the last month.
Once you have the ingredients, they’ll keep for quite some time so you can keep coming back to this recipe. The method also requires no special equipment, meaning you can whip up these scones quickly and easily anytime you please!
Honey yuzu ginger scones
Course: Breakfast bakesDifficulty: Quick bake8
scones20
minutes15
minutesThese honey yuzu ginger scones are bursting with flavor from a combination of Korean honey citron tea, lemon juice, ground ginger, and crystallized ginger. The scones have a beautifully light, crumbly texture and a nice crisp exterior, perfect for breakfast or a snack any time of day.
Ingredients
2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cold
1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger
1/3 cup buttermilk
3 Tbsp Korean honey yuzu/honey citron tea
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp turbinado sugar (optional)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir together the flour, ground ginger, salt, granulated sugar, baking soda, and baking powder.
- Cut the butter into cubes and place in the flour mixture. Toss with your hands to coat with flour and then, working relatively quickly, smoosh each cube of butter between your fingers to flatten. Stir in the chopped crystallized ginger. If the butter starts getting warm, refrigerate for a few minutes before continuing.
- Stir together the buttermilk, lemon juice, and honey citron tea. Pour over the flour mixture and stir together with a fork. Then use your hands to bring the dough together into a rough mound that sticks together but is still very shaggy.
- Place the mound of dough onto a cutting board or other work surface. There will likely still be at least a tablespoon (possibly a few) of dry flour left at the bottom of the bowl not connected to the mound. In that case, pour a small amount of buttermilk (just enough to bring the flour together) and mix. Gather into a little ball and then add it to your mound.
- Roughly press your mound into a square. Cut in half down the center and place one half on top of the other. Press down with your hands to combine. Then cut again, this time in the other direction and stack one on top of the other. Repeat once more and press into a final square, about 1/2-inch tall. Cut the square into four equal squares. Then cut diagonally across one way and then the other, until you have 8 triangular scones.
- Place the scones on a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill for at least 30 minutes. At this stage the scones can be frozen if you would like to save some to bake at a later time.
- While the scones are chilling, preheat the oven to 400F. Lightly brush the scones with buttermilk and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool completely. These are best eaten the day they are made but can be stored in an airtight container for a couple of days afterwards.
Notes
- Honey citron tea can be found at most Korean grocery stores, and many other Asian markets.
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