Honey Lavender Scones

Instructions

1. Prepare the dry ingredients
   In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and chopped lavender buds until well combined. Make sure the lavender is evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
2. Cut in the butter
   Add the cold cubed butter to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. This creates flaky layers in the scones.
3. Mix the wet ingredients
   In a separate bowl, whisk together the honey, 1/2 cup heavy cream, egg, vanilla extract, and lemon zest until smooth and well combined.
4. Form the dough
   Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently fold together with a spatula until just combined. Be careful not to overmix. The dough should be slightly sticky but manageable.
5. Shape the scones
   Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat it into a circle about 1-inch thick. Using a sharp knife, cut the circle into 8 equal wedges. Transfer the wedges to a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each scone.
6. Chill and prepare for baking
   Place the baking sheet with the scones in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to chill. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). After chilling, brush the tops of the scones with the remaining tablespoon of heavy cream.
7. Bake the scones
   Bake in the preheated oven for 15-17 minutes, or until the scones are golden brown on top and cooked through. To test, insert a toothpick into the center of a scone; it should come out clean.
8. Glaze and serve
   While the scones are still warm, brush the tops with a light coating of honey for a sweet, shiny glaze. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve with clotted cream, additional honey, or your favorite jam.