Preheat and Prepare: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place your butter in a freezer for 10 minutes to ensure it's extremely cold for better texture.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, thoroughly combine flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and brown sugar, ensuring even distribution of the leavening agents for uniform rise.
Combine Wet Ingredients: In a smaller bowl, whisk the egg until lightly beaten, then add in blended cottage cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Mix thoroughly to create a uniform wet mixture with evenly distributed lemon flavor.
Form Dough Base: Add the wet egg mixture to the dry ingredients and mix slowly until just combined. Be careful not to overmix as this could result in tough scones rather than tender ones.
Incorporate Butter: Take the butter out of the freezer and grate it slowly into the dough. Knead gently throughout the process so the butter disperses evenly, creating pockets that will result in flaky layers when baked.
Shape and Cut: Form the dough into a ball and roll it with a pin on a floured surface into an 8-inch circle. Cut the dough into 8 triangular sections and carefully transfer onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between each scone.
Apply Egg Wash: Prepare the egg wash by whisking the egg with water until smooth. Using a pastry brush, gently coat the tops of the scones with the egg wash to create a golden, shiny finish when baked.
Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes until the scones become lightly golden. The scones should rise well and have a slightly crisp exterior while remaining tender inside.
Cool: Let the scones cool down on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes. This allows them to set properly and finish cooking from residual heat.
Glaze (Optional): If desired, combine lemon juice with powdered sugar to make a smooth glazing and drizzle over the cooled scones before serving for added sweetness and lemon flavor.
