Using lavender in a recipe immediately makes it more elegant. Lavender is often an aroma associated with perfume, candles, or fancy body products. It is used for sleep and relaxing, so why add it to a recipe? Because when done correctly, it imparts such an incredible flavor to whatever it is added to. These lavender blackberry sourdough scones are no exception. The dough is speckled with bits of lavender and juicy blackberries. Hidden throughout the dough and drizzled along the top is white chocolate which pairs so nicely with the strong lavender notes. The florals in this recipe are not overpowering, but also not too subtle as to have you searching for the flavor.
I made this recipe for the first time after seeing a similar recipe on Half Baked Harvest. She used the same three flavors, but I wanted to tweak the recipe. Remove the egg, add sourdough, and make it much more like the other scones I have here on the blog. I set the recipe aside for almost three years and picked it up again last month. I fixed the problems I had with the original recipe and this one is better than ever!
Sourdough
As the unhurried homemaker I really like focusing on living slowly. Not rushing from thing to thing or task to task, but really enjoying the moment that I am in. Something that really helps with that is sourdough. Making a loaf of bread with sourdough is not a fast process. It is a task that forces me to slow down, to think ahead, and really be in the moment.
I also enjoy it for the gut healthy benefits that come from fermenting a recipe. The wild yeasts in the starter break down the flour making it easier to digest. The light tangy flavor it adds to a recipe makes it so complex in flavor.
If you are concerned about your starter being too sour, check out my sourdough e-book. In “The Art of Sourdough” I walk you through how to start and keep a starter, how to make it more tart or milder, and have some basic recipes to get you started.
And of course, if you enjoy this recipe, stick around and check out some of my other scone recipes. Some of our family favorites are white chocolate raspberry, vanilla bean, chocolate chip, and lemon poppy seed.
When using Lavender
Lavender is such a wonderful flavor that has really grown in popularity over the years. But because it is such an intense flavor, it can quickly go from delicious to way too much. I have often heard the overpowering lavender taste described as tasting like soap. I would have to agree. We see florals in perfumes and body products more often then served to us on a plate.
But! Do not allow this to dissuade you! I have worked out this lavender blackberry sourdough scones recipe so that they are right in that perfect balance between too subtle and soap. It is very easy to add more or less lavender flavor.
Less lavender:
This recipe uses cream that has had lavender buds steeping in it, then both the cream and the buds are added to the scone dough. If you wanted to have a little less lavender flavor, just lower the buds by 1/2 tsp or so. Or leave them in the cream a little longer and strain them out before adding the cream to the scone dough.
More lavender:
The lavender is already on the stronger side of this recipe, so be careful when adding more because it can become too much. But, if you wanted it to be more potent, then add an addition 1/2 tsp. of lavender buds. Or, you can leave the buds to soak in the cream for an hour or so before adding to the dough.
Tools
Mixing bowls
Measuring spoons
Measuring cups
Liquid measuring cup – A kitchen scale can also be used
Sheet tray
Parchment paper
A double boiler – You can also make a double boiler at home by simply placing a heat safe bowl on top of a pot with some water in it. Do not let the water boil or touch the bottom of the bowl and keep it on medium to low heat. Tada! DIY double boiler.
Ingredients
Heavy whipping cream: This is the liquid that pulls the scones together. The high fat content of heavy cream adds such a richness to the dough.
Lavender buds: I found mine at a local tea shop, but they can also be found on amazon. Not only is lavender so pretty, but it is such a wonderful flavor when done correctly. There are some types of lavender that are only for adding into candles or other art projects, or into body products. Be sure you are using culinary grade (also known as food grade) lavender flowers.
Flour: I usually use the organic unbleached all-purpose flour from Costco. But when I am buying flour in bulk, I order it from Azure and save so much money.
Baking powder: Because these are not using the sourdough for its yeast, it needs a little something to give it a rise. Baking powder gets these scones to be the perfect tender scone.
Sugar: With the white chocolate and blackberries, they are already pretty sweet. But the little bit of sugar in the dough adds a bit of sweetness to tie it together so it doesn’t taste like a biscuit.
Salt: A good recipe has a little salt to enhance all the flavors.
Butter: I like to use salted butter, but unsalted butter will work just as well in this recipe!
Sourdough discard: Instead of letting it go to waste, I use my extra sourdough discard in recipes like this whenever I can
Blackberries: Fresh blackberries or frozen will work. If they are fresh, they may squish into the dough a bit more making the workstation a bit messy. But that will not affect the flavor at all.
White chocolate chunks: The creaminess of the white chocolate pairs so incredibly well with the lavender. And once you add the light tartness form the berries? Incredible.
Additional ingredients and substitutions
White chocolate: If you cannot find white chocolate chunks, either chop up a bar of white chocolate, or use white chocolate chips. This can also be left out entirely if desired.
Lavender syrup/extract: This is actually not something I would recommend using. Extracts can be imitation which means they will not be flavors made from actual lavender. It tends to taste artificial and is very easy to add too much.
Vanilla extract: I often will add vanilla into the dough to provide more complexity to the dough and an extra layer of flavor. I wanted the lavender of his recipe to shine a bit more, so I left it out when recipe testing. If you want to add some I would do about 1 tsp.
Active starter: There are times I want to make scones on a whim but only have active sourdough starter on hand. That is just fine to use, but you may need a touch more cream for the dough to come together.
Let’s make lavender blackberry sourdough scones!
Making the dough
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
In a small bowl combine the cream and lavender buds. Set aside. This allows the lavender to infuse into the cream for a more intense flavor and aroma. The longer you leave it, the stronger the flavor will become. Mine was sitting for about a 1/2 hour and that seemed to be perfect.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
Add the butter into the dry ingredients and break it in by hand, working quickly as to not soften the butter. Stop when the butter chunks are the size of marbles. I have found that this works best when doing it by hand. It can be added with a pastry cutter, pastry whisk, food processor, and even frozen butter grated in using a cheese grater. But these methods tend to get the chunks of butter too small and we want the butter to be on the bigger side, so it does not soften and become one with the flour.
Add the sourdough discard and mix until evenly distributed.
Pour the blackberries and chocolate chunks into the flour mixture and stir until well coated with flour.
Pour in the lavender cream.
Mix just until a dough forms. It should be soft but not sticky, add a touch more cream or flour if needed. Do not overwork or the dough will be tough, and the berries will release too much moisture. I think it looks pretty to have the purple of the berries coloring the dough, but if they all mush into oblivion, they will be more like pancakes than scones.
Shaping and baking
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide the dough in half. I usually keep a bit of flour in a cup so I can dust the dough if it gets sticky.
Shape each half of the dough into a disk 6 inches across.
Using a bench scraper or a sharp knife, divide each disk into 8 equal pieces.
Transfer the unbaked scones onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
Bake for 10 minutes, rotate the tray, and bake for another 5-7 minutes, or until the tops of the scones are just starting to turn golden brown. Depending on how much the berries were smushed will determine how much additional time is needed.
Cool the scones before drizzling with chocolate. You may place scones on a wire rack while cooling if desired.
Decorating
While the scones are baking and cooling, start melting the chocolate over a double boiler.
Once the scones are mostly cooled, drizzle the melted chocolate over each one.
Enjoy!
Storing
Store any leftover scones covered, or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Freezing
Freezing these lavender blackberry sourdough scones is such a great option so they can be pulled out at a moment’s notice. Make the dough as directed above then divide the disks and wrap each one in plastic wrap. Place the wrapped scone dough into a freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 6 months.
When ready to bake, take the frozen scones and place them onto a prepared baking sheet. Do not allow the scones to thaw before baking them. Bake for 10 minutes, rotate the pan, and bake for another 7-10 minutes or until the top of the scones are turning lightly golden brown. Drizzle with melted white chocolate when cooled.
Long ferment sourdough scones
These can be gut healthy by allowing them to ferment for a while so the starter can break down the flour. Make this dough in advance so this fermentation can take place. Then take each disk and divide it into the 8 pieces and wrap it in plastic wrap, parchment paper, or a beeswax wrap. Store in the fridge overnight or up to 48 hours.
When ready to bake, place the unbaked scones onto a parchment lined sheet tray and into a preheated oven. for the best results, do not allow the scones to come to room temperature before baking. Bake for 10 minutes, rotate the pan, and bake for 6-8 additional minutes or until the tops of the scones are turning golden brown.
Tips for success
Cold butter: You want the ingredients to stay cold, so the butter does not soften and become mashed into the flour. The best way to do this is to keep your butter in the fridge until you are ready to add it into the scones.
Don’t overwork the dough: Overmixing can lead to two things. The first is the butter chunks getting too small. The second is forming gluten which will result in a tough instead of tender scone. As soon as the flour is fully incorporated, stop mixing and turn it out onto the counter.
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do. It is always such a delight hearing about how much you enjoyed a recipe so thank you for leaving comments! Don’t forget to share with friends and family so they too can enjoy making lavender blackberry sourdough scones. Thank you!
Lavender Blackberry Sourdough Scones
These elegant treats belong in a bakery display case. The lavender is not overpowering and pairs so well with the bright blackberries and sweet white chocolate. Have them made and out of the oven in a half an hour!
Ingredients
- 5 oz Heavy cream
- 1 1/2 tsp. Lavender buds
- 1 1/2 cups Flour
- 1 Tbsp. Baking powder
- 2 Tbsp. Sugar
- 1/2 tsp. Salt
- 5 Tbsp. Butter
- 1/2 cup Sourdough discard
- 1 1/2 cup Blackberries*
- 1 cup White chocolate (chips or chunks)
- 1/3 cup White chocolate (for melting and drizzling)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- In a small bowl combine the cream and lavender buds. Set aside. This allows the lavender to infuse the flavor into the cream for a more intense flavor and aroma.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
- Add the butter into the dry ingredients and break it in by hand, working quickly as to not soften the butter. Stop when the butter chunks are the size of marbles.
- Add the sourdough discard and mix until evenly distributed.
- Pour the blackberries and chocolate chunks into the flour mixture and stir to combine.
- Pour in the lavender cream.
- Mix just until a dough forms. It should be soft but not sticky, add a touch more cream or flour if needed. Do not overwork or the dough will be tough, and the berries will release too much moisture.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide the dough in half.
- Shape each half of the dough into a disk 6 inches across.
- Using a bench scraper, divide each disk into 8 equal pieces.
- Transfer the unbaked scones onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 10 minutes, rotate the tray, and bake for another 5-7 minutes, or until the tops of the scones are just starting to turn golden brown.
- While the scones are baking and cooling, start melting the chocolate over a double boiler. **
- Once the scones are mostly cooled, drizzle the melted chocolate over each one.
- Store covered, or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Enjoy!
Notes
*Fresh or frozen berries can be used in this recipe. Fresh will burst and smush as the dough is mixed together. That is ok, however if it is done too much the dough will have too much moisture and the scones will not end up as tall.
**If you do not have a double boiler, simple place a metal or glass bowl over a pot with a little bit of water in it. The bottom of the bowl should not touch the water. Heat on medium low and mix frequently until melted and smooth.
Long ferment scones
Long fermenting these scones makes them easier to digest. To do so, make the dough as prepared above. Divide and slice the disks, then wrap both disks in plastic wrap or beeswax wrap and place into the fridge. Allow them to ferment overnight or up to 48 hours.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven. Then transfer the scones onto a parchment lined sheet tray and place directly into the oven. Do not allow them to come to room temperature before baking. Bake for 10 minutes, rotate the tray, and bake for another 6-8 minutes.
This recipe for lavender blackberry sourdough scones contains affiliate links. To learn more about how we use them, click here.
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