This recipe for Lemon Strawberry Tea Biscuits is one of those standard recipes everyone needs to have in their kitchen. You can enjoy the biscuits warm out of the oven just as they are, or slathered with more butter and strawberry jam, or cooled then split and topped with whipped cream and more fresh strawberries. Any way you choose to enjoy them you will love this recipe.
If you prefer to make a plain tea biscuit all you need to do is omit the sugar and lemon and ta-dah you have a tea biscuit perfect for dunking in a stew or soup. The plain ones also make a great biscuit for making strawberry shortcakes.
These 2 batches of biscuits were created by a group of 9 young ladies who were having a bachelorette party and wanted to do a baking lesson this afternoon. So they all took turns doing each part of the recipe. Once the biscuits were baked they sat down to tea and biscuits with jam and whipped cream. We all had a great time and shared tips to hopefully make their next baking venture a little less stressful. I am always delighted when someone asks me to teach them some baking techniques- not that mine are professional because they aren’t. Just tid bits picked up here and there and of course by trial and error.
Here is the bride-to-be Jennifer with the first batch of plain biscuits. Isn’t she just the cutest? Jen was my daughter’s maid of honour and now Elizabeth will be standing for Jen’s wedding in June. It was a great afternoon with these lovely young women and I am sure it will be a gorgeous wedding as well.
- zest of one lemon
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ cup cold salted butter
- 1 cup cold buttermilk
- milk for brushing tops
- sanding sugar
- Preheat oven to 425 ℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl combine the sugar and lemon zest with a fork until combined.
- Sift in flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda.
- Using the large holes on a cheese grater, grate in the butter. Rub some of the flour mixture over the grater when finished to remove all of the butter from the grater.
- Using a fork mix in the butter to the flour mixture just until combined.
- Make a well in the centre of the mixture, pour in the buttermilk all at once. Using a fork, stir until the flour mixture is partially combined. Add in the chopped strawberries. Carefully mix until almost all of the flour has been worked in.
- Transfer the dough to a floured work surface. Fold the dough over itself 4 or 5 times until the dough is uniform and the flour is all worked in. Pat into a rectangle about 6 x 8".
- Cut into 12 equal pieces. Place about 1" apart on the parchment lined sheet.
- Brush the tops with a little milk and then sprinkle with sanding sugar.
- Bake 14 - 16 minutes until golden on top. Transfer to a cooling rack.
- Enjoy with butter and jam or split and top with more strawberries and whipped cream.
Brush just with milk- do not sprinkle with sugar