Makes 6 scones

Ingredients

2 teaspoons sugar
2 â…“ cups of flour
â…“ teaspoon of baking soda
½ tablespoon of baking powder
¼ cup sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1-inch cubes
¾ cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons Ginger & Lemon Thyme Pesto*
Ginger Lemon Thyme Pesto Icing*

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl combine strawberries and 2 teaspoons sugar, mix well and let berries macerate in sugar for 20 minutes or up to 2 hours.

Sift together the flour, baking soda and baking powder in a bowl. Add the salt and sugar and combine. Scatter butter cubes into the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl. Using your hands or a pastry blender, cut butter into flour mixture just until butter pieces are the size of peas. Pour in the buttermilk and lemon zest and mix just until the dough just comes together. Add 2 tablespoons Ginger & Lemon Thyme Pesto and mix into dough. Flour a clean surface and place the dough onto it, shaping it into a long rectangle (about 5 inches wide and 1 ½ inches thick).

Cut the dough into 6 even sized triangles and transfer them to your baking sheet. Bake the scones for 25 to 35 minutes or until the tops are lightly browned.

*Ginger Lemon Thyme Pesto– mix ¾  cup turbinado simple syrup with ½ cup fresh lemon thyme leaves ,¼ cup mint leaves, 2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger and 2 tablespoons lemon zest and blend until as smooth pesto is made.

*Ginger Lemon Thyme Pesto Icing– mix ¼ -½ cup of powdered sugar with ½ cup of pesto and mix until smooth and creamy.  Drizzle over the scones.