This is one of those recipes that I was quite apprehensive about trying. But…I got a request for something “wild and crazy,” and ricotta fruit scones sounded a bit adventurous to me without being guaranteed to be a total flop.

Lemon and blueberry obviously complement each other well. So the only real adventure in this scone is one of the other main ingredients: ricotta cheese.

Hmm.

I usually only use ricotta when making lasagna. Can’t think of another recipe I’ve tried it in. Perhaps I’m not super adventurous, especially when it comes to cheeses, but adding ricotta to a scone merely seems like a sure-fire way to mess it up. That said, ricotta is bland enough that it could pass relatively undetected in a baked good, right? Well, that was what I thought…

After this, I might have to revise my views on that…

Yield: 8-10 medium scones
Prep time: 20 minutes
Chilling time: 30 minutes
Baking time: 20-30 minutes

Ingredients:

Original recipe:
Food52

Scone:
1 lg egg
1/2 cup cold buttermilk
juice of 4 lemons
zest of 3 lemons
1/2 cup fresh ricotta
1/4 tsp lemon bakery emulsion (or lemon extract)
2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
2.5 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
6 tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup fresh blueberries

Instructions:

1) Combine the dry ingredients and whisk to mix.

2) Combine the buttermilk, egg, lemon emulsion/extract, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Whisk well to mix. Add the ricotta and whisk well until relatively even. A few small lumps of ricotta are fine.

3) Add the chopped, cold butter to the dry ingredients and blend in using a pastry blender until the pieces of butter are pea-sized or a bit smaller.

4) Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the liquid into the well. Using a wooden spoon, scoop from the outside to the inside and gently fold the liquid in. It should be a wet, sticky dough. A few dry crumbs at the bottom are okay.

5) Add the blueberries and fold in as above, using a gentle hand with a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula to avoid crushing the berries. A few dry crumbs are still okay.

6) Turn the dough out onto a well-floured countertop, turning out any dry crumbs onto the top of the dough. Using your fingertips (best if floured), gently tuck the dough over itself a few times and give it a few kneads until it comes together.

7) Pat into a long log about one scone length in width and 1/2-inch high. You should get a log about four or five scone widths in length. Using a sharp, floured knife, cut into four or five squares, and then cut each square into two triangles.

8) Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart from one another.

*Place in freezer to chill for 30 minutes.*

9) Bake at 400°F for 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown on top.

10) Remove from oven and place scones onto a towel-lined cooling rack. Cover or tuck in the scones with another towel and allow to cool. Best served warm.

The Process:

Results:

I have to admit that I was not impressed with this recipe. I’ve seen ricotta scone recipes in the past and thought about trying them, but this was my first attempt, and, based on it, I’d avoid them in the future. That said, it was my personal taste. Hubby said he liked them, but I still maintain that he was being kind… Even the smell of the scones baking turned me off (although maybe that’s my pregnancy’s fault…)