Strawberry scones with lemon basil glaze

Preheat oven to 400 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and lemon zest. Add the chilled butter and cut into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter, or use your hands to squeeze and rub the flour into the butter, until the mixture is crumbly and there are no remaining pieces of butter bigger than a pea.

Add the cream and vanilla to the bowl and briefly stir to moisten the ingredients. To keep your scones nice and light, avoid over-mixing the dough. Fold in the chopped strawberries.

Lightly flour your counter and turn the dough out onto it. Pat the dough into a one-inch thick circle. Fold the circle in half and then flatten it back out to a one-inch thick circle again. Fold one last time and flatten to a one-inch thick circle. (The folding helps develop fluffy layers in the scones and also brings the dough together.) Cut the dough into 8 equal triangles and place on the baking sheet.

Bake the scones for 15-19 minutes until golden brown on top. Allow to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

To make the glaze, combine the lemon juice, basil and lemon zest in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in the icing sugar until completely smooth. You can increase or decrease the amount of icing sugar in the glaze depending on your preference.

Drizzle the glaze over the scones and serve warm. They’re best eaten the day they are made, but will keep for up to two days in a plastic container.

Stephanie Eddy, who writes about her baking exploits at clockworklemon.com, lives in Calgary.