Sunshine Farm Lavender Tea Scones - cooking recipe

Ingredients

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (substitute whole wheat if desired)
1/2 cup sugar (I use turbinado sugar or organic cane instead of refined white)
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 tablespoons culinary lavender
3/4 teaspoon salt (I use Kosher or sea salt)
3/4 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest (I use a microplane, or fresh orange zest)
1 cup buttermilk (lowfat is okay)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400\u00b0F.
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and lavender in a large bowl.
Add butter and beat with an electric mixer (or pastry blender) until well blended.
Stir in zest.
Pour in buttermilk and mix until blended.
Gather dough into a ball and divide in half (I use a knife).
On lightly floured surface, roll each half into a circle.
Cut into wedges. (TIPS from Cameron: I make mine thick so that I get 6 scones (pie shaped wedges) out of each half. Use parchment paper to reduce the amount of flour needed. I also tend to hand shape, rather than roll the circle. Cut the wedges with a sharp knife. I gently tap the 3 sides of the scones on the parchment to make smooth edges.).
Place scones on lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake in preheated 400\u00b0 F oven for 12-15 minutes or until golden.
Serve warm or cooled with butter, and choice of lavender syrup or jam, honey, lemon curd, or British clotted cream, and a nice cup of tea!