I recently ventured into South Philly to see if Federal Doughnuts lived up to the hype. This corner spot, led by Chef Michael Solomonov of Zahav and Percy Street Barbecue fame, shells out fried chicken and designer doughnuts at an alarming rate due to high demand. Still, once they sell out of their goods, they close shop for the day so I felt pressured to arrive as close to opening as I could.

I walked out with a dozen of the most interesting doughnuts I’ve ever encountered: a Mandarin orange and coffee combination, a pistachio crusted variety and, my favorite, blueberry-lemon-pie. The vivid, violet glaze was enticing, and the tart, citrusy flavor sealed the deal. Since then, I’ve been obsessed with the blueberry-lemon pairing and have been searching for ways to replicate it on my own at home.

There was no way I was going to attempt to top Federal’s doughnut expertise, but I wanted my own 4-star sweet with a fruity flair. The next best thing I could come up with was these blueberry-lemon scones.

Blueberry Lemon Scones
Adapted from Budget Bytes

• 2 cups flour
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 lemon
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 2 eggs
• 3 tablespoons milk
• ¾ cup blueberries
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. In a large bowl combine the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder and the zest from the lemon. Mix well. In a smaller bowl, combine the milk and eggs and whisk well. Cut the butter into chunks and put it into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Using your hands, squish the butter into the flour over and over until there are no more clumps and it is completely combined with the flour, resembling coarse sand. Stir the blueberries into the wet ingredients then pour into the bowl of dry ingredients. Stir until everything has combined. Form into a ball and transfer to a liberally floured surface. Pat into an 8” circle then cut into 8 wedges. Place on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Bake for 15 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and the scones have risen. Completely  cool. As the scones are coming to room temperature, place one cup of powdered sugar in a small bowl and juice the lemon into it. Whisk until smooth. Drizzle over cooled scones and serve.

A scone is more of a bread than a pastry and, with little sugar in the base, it can be transformed into sweet or savory. Since the dough has little sugar, the flavors of the lemon and blueberry were the highlight. Most of the flavor in a lemon comes from the zest, and it’s surprising how a little goes a long way; the finely grated exterior infused the dough with its fresh, sunny flavor. If you do not have a zester, you can remove the zest with the finest option on a cheese grater. Just be sure to grate the brightly colored skin and not the white pith, as you will be unpleasantly surprised with a bitter taste. With the help of the baking powder, the scones puff up in the hot oven and their golden tops may entice you to ice them to eat right away. Be patient, though; icing the hot scones will result in a drippy mess. The tart, thick topping should be drizzled on once the scones are cooled.

My craving for the berry-citrus combo was satisfied. That’s not to say I won’t visit Federal Doughnuts again – their creations are delicious and unique, and my first dozen was not my last. Still, I’m aware there’s no hankering I could not conquer in my own kitchen. Plus, when I run out of blueberry-lemon scones, my kitchen will still be open.

Casey Ann is a local foodie and blogger. Check out her recipes and reviews at www.cleanpl8.com.