-
1
Heat your oven to 400F. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Using your fingers or a pastry cutter, quickly work the butter pieces into the flour mixture until you have a mixture that resembles clumpy sand with some pea-size pieces of butter still remaining.
-
2
Whisk together the egg with 3/4 cup of the cream and the vanilla extract. Pour this into the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon or rubber scraper just enough to bring everything together into a soft dough. Some of the dry bits probably won't be incorporated.
-
3
Use your hands to gather the dough and the remaining dry bits together into a ball and knead it just a couple of times. On a surface that is as lightly floured as you can get away with, pat (or roll) the dough into a rectangle that's about 12X8 inches.
-
4
Brush some of the remaining cream onto half of the dough rectangle, then sprinkle this half evenly with the blackberries, lemon zest, and 2 Tbs. sugar. Fold the other half of the dough over the top of the half with the berries, and press the two sides gently together, especially around the edges.
-
5
Brush the top with the remaining cream and sprinkle with the remaining sugar. Then, use a very sharp knife to divide this berry-stuffed dough log into 8 individual scones - you can make them into squares or triangles, your pick. Use a spatula to transfer the scones to a parchment lined baking sheet.
-
6
Bake until the scones are puffed and golden and deeply browned around the edges, about 15-18 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 10 or 15 minutes before eating. Scones are always best fresh, but they can be kept for a day or two and reheated in the oven. They also freeze and reheat pretty well.
