Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set aside.

In a small saucepan on medium-heat, warm milk. Remove the saucepan from heat before it boils. Add earl grey tea (loose leaf or tea bags), cover and steep for 7 minutes. Let cool.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and granulated sugar.

With a pastry cutter, fork or your fingers, cut the cold butter into the dry mixture until coarse. Add vanilla extract and the earl grey infused milk with the spent tea leaves. If you used tea bags, cut them open and add the spent leaves to the batter. Gently fold with a spatula until dough begins to form. 

Place dough on a floured surface and form into a round disk about 1.5 inch thick. Cut into 8 wedges and set on a baking sheet.

Brush the tops of the wedges lightly with milk and bake in a preheated oven for 20-22 minutes or until the scones are lightly golden brown.

Remove from the oven, place on a wire rack to let cool before adding the icing. 

As the scones are cooling, prepare the icing by combining confectioners’ sugar, milk and vanilla in a mixing bowl until smooth. 

When the scones have cooled, dip the tops into the icing or spread it on the tops. Sprinkle with dried culinary lavender and/or crushed earl grey tea leaves, if desired.