LEMON GINGER SCONES

2 3/4 cups (385 grams) All Purpose Flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/3 cup (70 grams) granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 cup (80 grams) crystalized ginger, finely chopped

2 TBsp finely grated lemon zest

3/4 cup (1 3/4 sticks or 200 grams) cold butter, cut into 8 - 10 pieces

1/2 cup cold buttermilk

1/2 cup cold heavy cream

1 cold egg

**If you love ginger, try adding 2 Tablespoons of fresh grated ginger. We never did this at the restaurant, but we did it for guests at home when making smaller batches. Grating ginger in restaurant quantity is a nightmare.

LEMON GLAZE

1 cup powdered sugar

2-3 TBsp fresh lemon juice

________________________________________________

Position a rack in the center of the oven, and heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a handheld mixer), mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, granulated sugar, ground ginger, crystallized ginger, and lemon zest on low speed for 10 to 15 seconds, or until com-bined. Scatter the butter over the top and beat on low speed for about 30 seconds, or until the butter is somewhat broken down and grape-size pieces are still visible.

In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, cream, egg, and grated ginger until thoroughly mixed. On low speed, pour the buttermilk mixture into the flour-butter mixture and beat for 20 to 30 seconds, or just until the dough comes together. There will still be a little loose flour mixture at the bottom of the bowl.

Remove the bowl from the mixer stand. Gather and lift the dough in your hands and turn it over in the bowl, so that it starts to pick up the loose flour at the bottom. Turn the dough over several times until all of the loose flour is mixed in.

Dump the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and gently roll it out about 1 inch thick. Using a 3½-inch round cookie cutter, cut out circles. Reroll the scraps and cut out more circles. You should have 10 circles. (At this point, the unbaked scones can be frozen, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 1 week. Proceed as directed, baking directly from the freezer and adding 5 to 10 minutes to the baking time.) Place them on a baking sheet, spacing them 2 to 3 inches apart.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the scones are a light golden brown.on top. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 10 to 15 minutes.

To make the lemon glaze: While the scones are cooling, in a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners' sugar and enough of the lemon juice to make a smooth, thick, pourable glaze. You should have about ½ cup. (The glaze can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.)

When the scones have cooled for 10 to 15 min-utes, brush the tops evenly with the lemon glaze, then serve.

The scones taste best on the day they are baked, but they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you keep them for longer than 1 day, refresh them in a 300-degree-F oven for 4 to 5 minutes. Or, you can freeze them, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, for up to 1 week; reheat, directly from the freezer, in a 300-degree-F oven for 8 to 10 minutes.