Lemon-Blueberry Scones in a Jar
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I realize that Christmas is quickly approaching, but there are still holiday parties to attend, and on the off chance that you need a clever idea for a hostess gift or a last-minute present for a co-worker, boss, or that aunt who never likes anything you buy for her, this is one of my favorite gift ideas this year.
It only takes a couple of minutes to assemble the ingredients and then place in a nice jar with the instructions attached, and you’ve got a very sweet gift that looks like you went to a lot of trouble, when really, you didn’t. But it looks like you did.
And if your boss, co-worker or cranky aunt doesn’t like blueberries, you can easily substitute, currants or dried cranberries.
Of course, a scone mix is only as good as the scones it produces, and I was very impressed with the deliciousness of these. They have a very authentic scone texture and flavor, which actually surprised me because there is no butter in them. The mix calls for a shelf-stable shortening instead of butter. I used a natural shortening made by Spectrum…
and it worked great. It calls for a whole cup of dried blueberries. I got mine at Trader Joe’s and they baked up plump and flavorful. And I have to say that I think dried blueberries actually have more flavor than fresh in baked goods like these.
So there you have it, people...a nifty little scone gift for you to present to someone you love or just want to impress. Or just keep it for yourself. You never know when you’re going to have scone emergency. Here’s the recipe…
BLUEBERRY-LEMON SCONES IN A JAR
Click here for a printable recipe
Recipe from Mixes in a Jar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup vanilla sugar
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp dried lemon peel
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup shortening (type that does not need refrigeration)
1 cup dried blueberries
Add the flour, sugar, milk powder, baking powder, lemon peel and salt to the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times to combine. Add in the shortening and pulse again until it resembles coarse crumbs. Place this mixture on a large piece of wax paper or a flexible chopping mat. Mix the blueberries into the dry ingredients and pour into a jar. Seal and store at room temp for up to 6 weeks or in freezer for up to 6 months.
Instructions to Attach to the Jar -
Place contents of jar in large mixing bowl. Add 1 beaten egg and 1/4 cup water, stir till moistened. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and quickly knead for 12-15 strokes or till smooth. Divide dough in half.
Working with ½ of the dough, pat into 1/2 -inch thick round. Cut into 6 or 8 pie-shaped pieces.
Place scones 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheet. Continue with the other half of the dough. Brush tops with milk if desired. Sprinkle with sugar and bake at 400 for 12-15 minutes.
Transfer to wire rack to cool slightly. Serve warm.
Makes 12 or 16 scones
