Maple Scones with Lemon Verbena and Candied Ginger

You can use any lemon herb that you like in these scones; orange mint is also delicious. Of course, using fresh herbs will give you the most wonderful bouquet in addition to flavor. However, you may use dried herbs if need be-reduce the amount of dried herbs to about 2 tablespoons-and stir it into the milk and let stand for about 10 to 15 minutes. The scones can be prepared with all unbleached flour, which will make them a bit lighter, the whole-wheat flour makes them a bit more toothsome. This recipe appears in Susan's article on 'Homemade Herbal Breads' in the January 2006 issue of the Herb Companion.

Makes about 1 dozen scones

2 cups unbleached white flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking powder
8 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
About 4 tablespoons freshly chopped lemon verbena
1/4 cup chopped candied ginger

Preheat oven to 425º F degrees. Combine the flours, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl and blend thoroughly. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.

Stir the milk, 1/4 cup of the syrup, and the lemon verbena together. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients and stir to form a soft dough.

Turn the dough onto a floured pastry marble or board, knead gently with a few turns, until it just comes together. Roll the dough out into a circular shape, about 3/4-inch thick. Brush the top of the dough with the remaining tablespoon of maple syrup. Cut the dough into 8 or 12 wedges with a sharp knife or pizza cutter and place on an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake the scones for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to baking rack to cool slightly before serving. The scones are best served warm and right after baking. If you want to prepare them in advance, cool them completely and store them in an airtight container. Wrap them in foil and gently reheat them in a 325º F degree oven for about 10 to 15 minutes.