- 2 tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest (from about 3 lemons; preferably Meyer)
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar plus 3 tablespoons additional if using fresh cranberries
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
- 1 1/4 cups fresh cranberries, chopped coarse, or 1 1/4 cups dried cranberries or dried cherries
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Accompaniment: crème fraîche or whipped cream
- Preheat oven to 400°F. and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- With a vegetable peeler remove the zest from lemons and chop fine, reserving lemons for another use.
- In a food processor pulse flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, salt, butter and zest until mixture resembles coarse meal and transfer to a large bowl.
- In a small bowl toss together fresh cranberries and 3 tablespoons sugar and stir into flour mixture. If using dried fruit, add to flour mixture.
- In another small bowl lightly beat egg and yolk and stir in cream. Add egg mixture to flour mixture and stir until just combined.
- On a well-floured surface with floured hands pat dough into a 1-inch-thick round (about 8 inches in diameter) and with a 2-inch round cutter or rim of a glass dipped in flour cut out as many rounds as possible, rerolling scraps as necessary. Arrange rounds about 1 inch apart on baking sheet and bake in middle of oven 15 to 20 minutes, or until pale golden.
- Serve scones warm with crème fraîche or whipped cream. Scones keep, individually wrapped in plastic wrap and foil, chilled, 1 day or frozen 1 week.