Lemon Poppy Seed Scones

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with a Silpat baking mat or parchment paper. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the sugar and lemon zest. Rub together with your fingers until fragrant and well combined.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar mixture, poppy seeds, baking powder, and salt.

Using a pastry blender or your hands, quickly cut the cold butter into the flour mixture. Mix until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few larger butter lumps.

In a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup heavy cream, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Pour the liquid ingredients over the flour mixture and stir with a spatula until dough begins to form. Don’t over mix.

Transfer dough to a floured countertop and gently push the dough together with your hands, just until it forms a ball. Form the dough into a 1-inch circle by patting the dough and gently pressing the dough. Don’t overwork the dough. Use a sharp knife to cut the scones into 8 triangles.

Place scones on prepared baking sheet and put in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes. This will prevent the scones from spreading when baking.

Remove the scones from the freezer. Use a pastry brush to brush the tops of the scones with the additional heavy cream. Bake for 18 to 23 minutes, or until scones are golden brown on the bottom and around the edges. Let the scones cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire cooling rack.

While the scones are cooling, make the lemon glaze. In a small bowl, whisk the confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice, and heavy cream together until smooth. Drizzle glaze generously over the cooled scones. Enjoy!