Lavender Lemon Spelt Scones with Honeyed Lemon Ricotta

Each school morning we begin with a full hour of reading as I’ve found it’s been quite a pleasant and sweet way to begin our school time together. We curl up on the couch, sip tea, and immerse ourselves in piles of books.  On one of the days during this past week, I thought it would be fun to do something a little extra-special-  a simple breakfast and reading time in bed.  My daughter was completely delighted.  We took turns reading to each other as we ate our scones and sipped our tea.  During this season of homeschooling, I’ve prioritized our reading time together with hopes that it will rekindle her love for books and her curiosity to learn.  It’s in these small ways that I hope to make reading and learning a positive and joyful experience for her.  We’ve already noticed small changes-  she now reads on her own again, the lists of books she wants from the library are getting longer, and she is always excited to begin the school day because of these shared times of reading.  We are thankful.

Scones are always a treat for breakfast and I can appreciate a wide variety of scones. These particular scones have a tighter crumb and somewhat resemble biscuits, but are still very tender and soft.  Sometimes baking with whole grain flours leads to baked goods with a heavier texture, but the addition of arrowroot here helps lighten things up a bit. (If you don’t have arrowroot, cornstarch would be fine substitute.)  The lavender is subtle and not at all overpowering, which is how I enjoy them, but increase the suggested 3/4 teaspoon to a full teaspoon if you prefer a more pronounced lavender flavor.  Lemon makes a truly fine complement to the lavender and adds a lovely brightness.  The honeyed lemon ricotta is just the thing for serving with the scones, but we’ve also enjoyed it slathered on some plain toasted baguette as well.

My daughter arranged her little bear ever so carefully, asked me to take a picture, and then said she wanted me to share it with you all.   And so just for the record, “bear” was at our breakfast in bed too.  Hope you all have a beautiful weekend and happy Mother’s Day to all of you moms out there.  xo

Lavender Lemon Spelt Scones with Honeyed Lemon Ricotta

• Yield: 8 scones

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole spelt flour
• 3/4 cup light spelt flour
• 1/4 cup arrowroot (or cornstarch)
• 1/4 cup natural cane sugar
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon cooking lavender
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes
• 1 egg
• 2/3 cup half and half (or 1/3 cup heavy cream + 1/3 cup whole milk)
• zest of 2 lemons
• 1 egg yolk + 1 tablespoon half and half, for brushing on top of scones

Honeyed Lemon Ricotta

• 1/4 cup whole milk ricotta
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 4 teaspoons lemon zest

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, arrowroot, baking powder, sugar, salt, and lavender. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or a fork.
3. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, half and half, and lemon zest. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and use a wooden spoon to mix until just combined, being careful not to over mix. Dough will be wet and a bit sticky.
4. Transfer dough to a lightly floured board and knead a few times with lightly floured hands until the dough just comes together. Pat dough into a round 3/4-inch thick. Use a round cutter to cut circles. Gather scraps, gently knead together again, and continue cutting circles until no more dough remains. (Alternatively, form the dough into a large round and cut into wedges.)
5. In a small bowl, whisk egg yolk and half and half together. Brush over the tops of each scone.
6. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until tops are light golden. Serve warm with honeyed lemon ricotta.
7. Store any leftovers in an airtight container. To serve, reheat for a few minutes in a 300 oven.

Honeyed Lemon Ricotta

1. In a small bowl, whisk ricotta, honey, and zest until well combined. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.