These scones hold up well overnight, so they’re perfect to make after the sun goes down and your kitchen isn’t quite so warm. Don’t be deterred from making these scones if you don’t have preserved lemon–it’s perfectly fine to make them with fresh lemon, or no lemon at all–the buttermilk will provide tang. However, if you can get your hands on some preserved lemon, the unique, slightly salty bite really puts these over the top. I preserve Meyer lemons when they’re in season during the winter, but you can find them online.

These scones aren’t very sweet (traditional scones aren’t sugary, and that’s how I like them), but if you want a sweeter treat, you can sprinkle coarse, organic sugar on the top of the scones just before baking.

Blueberry Buttermilk Scones

• 2 c. flour
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 2 t. baking powder
• 1/2 t. salt
• 6 T. cold butter, cut into small pieces
• 2/3 c. (plus a little extra) buttermilk
• 1 c. (half pint) of blueberries
• 1/2 of a preserved lemon rinsed and diced OR the zest of a fresh lemon (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a sheet pan by lining it with parchment paper or greasing the pan with butter.

Blend together the dry ingredients by stirring them with a whisk in a large bowl (this also aerates the flour and helps to keep the dough a bit lighter). Rub the cold butter into the mixture with your fingers until there mixture resembles damp sand with a few pea-sized pieces still present in the dough. With a wooden spoon, gently begin stirring in the buttermilk, berries and zest, if using. You may need to use your hands to bring the mixture together (you can add a touch more buttermilk if it’s too crumbly).

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently pat it into a 1 inch thick disk. Slice the dough like a pizza into 8 equal pieces. Place, spaced evenly, on the baking sheet and lightly brush the tops of the scones with a little more buttermilk. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the scones are lightly golden.

Makes 8 scones.