Pat-a-Cake Scones

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, the 1/3 cup sugar, the baking powder, and salt. Make a big dent or well in the center of flour mixture. Add the 3/4 cup whipping cream and lemon peel.

Stir until mixture is crumbly. Coat hands with a little flour. Use your hands to gently knead the dough in the mixing bowl until it can be formed into a ball. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.

Gently roll or pat the dough into a 7-1/2-inch circle. Using a table knife, cut the dough like a pizza into 6 or 8 wedges to make scones. Place scones about 1-inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Lightly brush scones with additional cream; sprinkle with additional sugar. Bake about 18 minutes or until scones are golden brown on the tops and the bottoms. Use a wide metal spatula to remove the scones from cookie sheet. Serve warm. Makes 6 to 8 scones.

Fruit Scones: Stir 3/4 cup raisins, snipped dried cherries, currants, or other chopped dried fruit into the flour mixture before adding the cream. Continue as directed in recipe above.

Poppy-Seed-Topped Scones: Prepare scones as directed except after brushing the wedges with the cream, sprinkle with 2 teaspoons poppy seed or sesame seed, instead of sugar. Continue as directed in recipe.

Streusel Scones: In a small mixing bowl combine 1/2 cup walnuts, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Using a pastry blender or two table forks, cut in 1 tablespoon cold butter until mixture is crumbly. Stir in nuts. Sprinkle streusel mixture on top of uncut circle of dough. Omit brushing dough with additional cream. Use your fingers or your hands to gently press streusel mixture into dough. Cut circle into wedges and continue as directed in recipe.

Nutrition information for plain scones.