Strawberry Basil Scones

On warm summer days like today, it's hard to find something more refreshing than a handful of ripe berries, still cool from the fridge. It seems silly to add them to a dish or bake with them when berries are just so perfect by themselves. I would have happily rinsed off the strawberries and eaten them straight from the open box, but my dad had been nudging me to make these strawberry basil scones for months. And each time he did, my reply was "they're not in season yet...." The bland strawberries you find in the winter really just aren't the same.

But now it's nearly July and our local co-op is brimming with fresh produce. There are cartons of brilliantly red strawberries and bunches of fresh basil. So on my first day of summer break I hopped on my bike and pedaled over to the co-op where I bought a box heaping with small, ripe strawberries; a pound of butter; a small bunch of basil; and a pint of half-and-half - everything I would need for these strawberry scones.

The scones were unlike any I had made before - though that shouldn't come as much of a surprise since I've only made one other kind - the dough had to be handled gently and worked slowly to keep the soft berries intact. But by the second batch (yes, that's two batches of scones in less than a week) the dough came together without squashing a single strawberry.



They smelled wonderful in the oven. The sweet, warm smell of baking strawberries with whispers of the basil's fresh, earthy aroma. The scones were best still warm from the oven with soft pockets of sweet strawberry, surrounded by warm pastry dotted with basil. Strawberry basil scones are extraordinary because while they aren't exactly savory, their sweetness is faint. With just two tablespoons of sugar, it's a subtle pastry - a blank canvas for the remarkable dynamic between the strawberry and basil.

I still would have trouble finding something more delicious than fresh berries; but it's safe to say that the sweet, warm, melt-in-your-mouth berries in baked goods are just as a good.


Strawberry Basil Scones
slightly adapted from Better Homes and Gardens

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cubed
1 heaping cup fresh strawberries, cut into thirds or quarters
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup half-and-half, plus more for brushing


Preheat the oven to 400F. In a large bowl stir together flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut the cubed butter into the flour mixture. Gently toss in the strawberries and basil. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and set aside.
In a medium bowl stir together the eggs and the half-and-half. Pour the egg mixture into the well of the flour mixture and, using a large spoon, gently stir just until moistened.
Turn dough out onto a generously floured surface. Knead dough by folding and gently pressing, turning dough a quarter turn after each fold, just until the dough comes together. (Note: at first the dough will seem crumbly and it might look like it won't come together - resist the urge to press firmly and pound it together, just keep gently folding.)
Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, pat or lightly roll dough out into a 3/4-inch-thick circle. Cut the circle into wedges (a serrated knife works well) and pull apart slightly.
Brush wedges with additional half-and-half and sprinkle lightly with sugar. Bake about 16 minutes or until golden. Serve warm or keep in an airtight container for a couple days.