Professor Butter Beard’s Ginger Lime Scones
One dozen scones
80 grams granulated sugar
Zest of two limes
150 grams coarsely chopped crystallized ginger
500 grams bread flour
4 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp fine sea salt
2 tsp ginger
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
50 grams ice-cold unsalted butter
250 ml cold buttermilk
2 large eggs
Vanilla paste, if desired
Egg wash:
1 beaten egg
Dash of granulated sugar
Dash of fine sea salt
1) Preheat your oven to 425 degrees and line a thin sheet pan with parchment paper.
2) In a large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar and lime zest until evenly combined and aromatic. Stir in the coarsely chopped crystalized ginger.
3) Make a well in the center of the sugar and add the flour, baking powder and soda, fine sea salt and ginger, and the freshly ground black pepper. Whisk together until everything is evenly combined.
4) Using a box grater, grate the ice-cold butter over the mixture. Use a plastic bench scraper to quickly fold in the butter evenly.
5) In another bowl, or glass measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk and two eggs (and vanilla paste, if desired). Make a well in the dry mix and pour in the wet. Use the plastic scraper to fold the mixture into a dough. Lightly flour your counter surface and gently knead the dough until evenly combined and just lightly sticky to the touch. Pat the dough to roughly 4 cm tall and use a biscuit cutter to cut the dough into twelve round scones. Re-gather the dough as necessary.
6) Whisk together the egg wash ingredients and lightly brush only the tops of the scones. Bake on the middle oven rack for 20-25 minutes until risen and golden brown, rotating the pan after the first 15 minutes.
7) Slide the scones onto a wire rack to cool at least ten minutes before breaking them open to serve with cream and jam.
