Happy Easter! Wake your family up to the smell of scones baking in the morning. The air will be filled with hints of bright lemon and nutty pistachios. This combination is divine. These scones are slightly sweeten with brown sugar and they will complement any savory item you have on your breakfast plate. If you love the dazzling green hues of the pistachios flecked with purple, then these scones should be at your table Easter Sunday!
Now I understand that nuts are expensive, and pistachios are definitely expensive, but if there wasn’t another time to get them, then this would be the time. I found the pistachios at my local bodega selling for $10 per pound. I grabbed a little more than a handful for a total of $3. It would be best to buy the nuts unsalted and in the shells. They are fresher if they are bought in the shells. It will take a little extra prep time to dig them out, but it is worth it.
If you have only had ricotta in your lasagna, this sweetened version will be a pleasant surprise. It complements the scones so well. Neither are overly sweet. They both have the perfect amount, so you can eat more than one scone without feeling guilty. Drizzle the scones with honey, if you have a sweet tooth for an extra punch of delight!
Easter Lemon Pistachio Scone with Whipped Honey Ricotta
Recipe Type: intermediate
Cuisine: American
Author: seasoningbottle
Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 20 mins
Total time: 40 mins
Serves: 8
This is the perfect scone recipe for Easter breakfast and brunch!
Ingredients
2 cups all purpose flour, with extra for rolling
6 tablespoons cold butter
1 tablespoon baking powder
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pistachios
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup heavy cream + 1 tablespoon
2 tablespoons honey
1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400F.
In a large mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder, brown sugar, and salt.
Cut cold butter into medium sized chunks and add to flour. With your hands break up the butter into the flour, creating small pebbles of flour and butter.
Add the lemon zest, pistachios, vanilla, and cream to the flour mixture to form your dough. Be sure not to over work the dough. If you find it not coming together, add small amounts of cream, 1 teaspoon at a time, as needed.
On a clean surface, dust with flour and roll dough into a ball.
With your fingers, or if you have a rolling pin, spread dough to about 1/2 inch thick.
Use a pizza cutter to cut dough into slice like shape. Don’t worry if the edges are a little jagged.
Place scones on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown.
Remove from oven once baked and allow to cool.
In a medium mixing bowl combine ricotta cheese, honey, and cream and blend together with a mixer on medium speed until it becomes whipped and airy.
Serve whipped ricotta with scones and enjoy!