Grapefruit Drop Scones

A couple weeks ago, I thought myself very lucky to have been gifted a very giant bag of citrus fruit fresh from Arizona.  Does it strike anyone else as ironic that there are a ton of grapefruit grown in a state where there is a large, ahem, "mature" population who uses medication prone to dangerous reactions with grapefruit?  Apparently, there are RV parks down there where people can not even give  grapefruit away.  So many grapefruit left uneaten...so sad...

Anyway, now that a couple of weeks have passed, we ran out of steam using the grapefruit and until this morning, a couple were still languishing in my fruit bowl.  I am such a hypocrite.  Determined to use them and needing to bake up something for my Bible study this morning, I came across a recipe for Grapefruit Scones and was intrigued.  They ended up light and tender, and had just a hint of grapefruit flavor hidden in their flakey, biscuit-y goodness.  I made drop scones (instead of the recognizable triangular shape) because the dough ended up pretty sticky, and what can I say, I'm lazy like that.

Grapefruit Drop Scones
2 small-ish grapefruit or 1 large beast of a grapefruit
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup plain yogurt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Remove zest from grapefruit and place in a small bowl.  Add sugar and stir together to make really lovely, fragrant grapefruit sugar.  Set aside.  Cut the remaining peel off of the grapefruit and lop off the top and bottom to show a nice, naked grapefruit.  Using a small paring knife, cut out segments by running your knife along the lines of the membrane out of the grapefruit.  It's okay if some of them fall apart.  Sometimes grapefruit are even so cooperative that you can just peel the membrane off with your fingers.  However you do it, just remove the flesh of the grapefruit and set it aside as well.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and half of grapefruit sugar mixture.  Cut in butter with a pastry blender or two knives (or your fingers if you work fast and not too much) until flour mixture is crumbly and there are still tiny chunks of butter (about the size of small peas) in your flour mixture.  Fold in honey, yogurt and grapefruit segments just until the mixture is combined and comes together.  Drop by large tablespoonfuls a couple inches apart onto a greased cookie sheet (or if you want pretty, shaped scones, you can turn dough onto a floured surface, pat it out into a dish and cut wedges a la a pizza pie, then place evenly spaced apart onto greased cookie sheet).  Sprinkle remaining grapefruit sugar evenly on top of scones, pressing lightly if needed.  Bake at 425 degrees for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown on top.  Allow to cool for about 10 minutes on baking sheet. 

Recipe adapted from: Grapefruit, Honey and Yogurt Scones by Joy the Baker