Bursting with berries and layered with basil sugar, these scones are sweet and savory, a little unexpected, and wildly delicious.
The basil brings a fresh, peppery note with soft minty undertones, pairing beautifully with ripe, juicy berries. Tender from sourdough discard and cream, the dough bakes up soft and rich, making these a make-ahead dream. They’re especially lovely for brunch, a quiet tea-time treat, or barefoot mornings in the garden.
Baker’s Notes
Cold ingredients make all the difference. I keep the discard, eggs, yolks, and cream well chilled, and often freeze the grated butter ahead of time. It helps create flaky layers and a tender crumb.
A short freeze before baking helps the scones hold their shape and keeps the butter cold as they hit the oven.
Scones are best served warm, or shortly after baking. Like most scones, these are at their best the day they’re made.
This recipe is inspired by Claire Ptak’s Huckleberry Basil Scones and uses my go-to sourdough scone base. The basil sugar is adapted from Thali Ho.
Ingredients
Butter. Unsalted and cold. I like to freeze my butter ahead of time.
Heavy cream. Adds moisture and fat contributing to a tender and flaky scone. Sour cream or creme friache can be subsituted.
Sourdough discard. Cold from the fridge! and no longer than 2 weeks old
Egg yolk. Add richness and helps bind the dough.
All purpose flour. The base for baked goods. I use Hayden All Purpose Sonora.
Basil Sugar. Adds a bright herbal fresh flavor
Boysenberries. Fresh or frozen. Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries all work beautifully.
Boysenberry Basil Sugar Sourdough Scones
Ingredients
Basil Sugar
1/4 cup (10g) basil, washed and dried
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
Boysenberry Basil Sugar Scones
10 tbsp (140 g) butter, cold
1/2 cup (125g) heavy cream , plus more for brushing
1 cup (220g) sourdough discard, cold from the fridge
1 egg yolk, cold from the fridge
2 cups + 2 tbsp (260g) flour
1/3 cup (67 g) of granulated sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup (200g) boysenberries or blueberries
Cream and basil sugar for finishing
Instructions
- Make the basil sugar: Pulse the and basil in a small food processor or grinder until even and fine, about 20 seconds.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Using the large holes of a box grater, grate the butter. Transfer to a bowl and place in the freezer.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, discard and egg yolk. Transfer to the fridge.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Using a fork, toss the grated butter to coat. Then stir in the sourdough mixture until just combined. Knead the dough a few times to bring it together.
- Pour the dough onto a work surface Pat the dough into a square. Sprinkle the top with the basil sugar, reserving a tablespoon to two for sprinkling. Fold the dough in half like a book to enclose the sugar. Flatten back down to 2 inch thick, then fold in half once more and pat into a thick square. Cut into quarters so you have 4 squares and then cut in half so you have 8.
- Freeze the dough for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375. Brush the tops of the scones with cream and sprinkle with the remaining basil sugar. Bake for 22-26 minutes, or until golden and cooked though. Let cool for a few minutes, enjoy warm or at room temperature.
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