Sourdough discard/starter is great for making breads that feature lemon. The sourdough tang intensifies the tart, citrus flavor of the lemon. Sourdough Sticky Lemon-Ginger Scones are a particular favorite of mine. The scones are sweet, tart, and great for breakfast, with your tea or coffee, or for dessert. The ginger in the scones isn't overwhelming. Rather it offers a hint of something beyond the citrus. If you want a stronger ginger taste--and I sometimes do--feel free to chop up a couple of tablespoons of crystallized ginger and add it to the dough. The recipe doesn't depend on the sourdough process for the rise, so you can use immature discard and bake the scones immediately, if you'd like. I actually use a mature discard in my scones and often let them sit out for an hour or two before baking them. They'll puff up a bit and have a stronger sourdough tang. You can eat the scones "as is," or you can drizzle a lemon glaze on them. The glaze will sink into the scones, making them moister, as well as heightening the sweet-tart aspect of the scones. I make my scones flat rather than thick, which makes them crispy on the outside--kind of like a cookie edge--and facilitates reheating them in the toaster. These scones are simple to make and so much better tasting and better for you than those you'll find in coffee houses!
Sourdough Sticky Lemon-Ginger Scones -- Makes 8
Grated zest of a lemon
1/3 cup of sugar
1 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of salt
2 tablespoons of butter
4 tablespoons of canola oil
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
2 teaspoons of fresh ginger (I use the kind in the squeeze bottle, but you can mince fresh
ginger and use it instead if you want--the freshly minced will have more zing to it!)
1 cup of starter/discard
Sugar for sprinkling
Glaze (optional)
In a large bowl, combine the lemon zest and sugar and stir them together for a couple of minutes, mashing the zest into the sugar with a spoon. The mixture should be nice and fragrant. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt and mix them in. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or fork. Drizzle in the oil and cut it into the flour. Stir in the lemon juice, ginger, and starter/discard. Dump the dough out onto a piece of baking parchment paper large enough to fit your baking sheet. Knead the dough a few times just to bring it together. Pat the dough into a circle about 1 1/2-inches thick. Cut the circle into 8 triangles and separate the triangles on the parchment, leaving a couple of inches between each triangle. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Moisten the tops of the scones with a little water and sprinkle a bit of sugar (1/2 teaspoon or a little less) on top of each scone. Bake the scones for 15-20 minutes or until golden. Drizzle them with the glaze, if you like, or eat them plain.
Glaze
3/4 cup of confectioner's sugar
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
Combine the sugar and lemon juice in a microwave-safe cup and heat them in the microwave for 30-45 seconds. Stir the mixture well until it's smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the scones.
