MONDAY RECIPE POST - CRANBERRY ORANGE SCONES

An old recipe I wanted to make again recently when our son came over for a visit.  One of those recipes I can't remember where it came from, so there is no link today.

Cranberry Orange Scones

I originally made this recipe as part of an afternoon tea I put together when the weather was warmer.

I put it together when we had company pre-pandemic, and also fixed tea sandwiches (with all the crusts cut off), wheat and white, cutting down the middle diagonally once filled.  

I always do a variety of fillings which include very thin slices of cucumber, thin slices of ham, both lightly spread with butter, and chicken and egg salad spread lightly with mayonnaise.  Shaved smoked salmon with capers are often used but although fresh wild salmon is a favorite of mine, I am not a fan of smoked. I also usually make a couple of cookie recipes but this day I only made the scones to be eaten after the sandwiches.  Spreading clotted cream and strawberry jam between them is the piece de resistance!  There is a website I enjoyed reading about Scone etiquette here as told from an Australian point of view.  What goes on first?  Clotted Cream or Jam?  Where I came from it depended if you lived in Devon or Cornwall, and both counties had their own way of doing things.  

This link will take you to a food blog where they make tea sandwiches.

And we mustn't forget a large pot of tea.  My favorite tea at the moment is Yorkshire Gold served with a splash of milk.  I stopped using sugar for hot drinks in my teens, but remember PG Tips and Typhoo being in my childhood home.  My sister's favorite was Assam tea I remember her telling me once.

In the days when British tea was hard to come by here, every time my parents visited they literally packed a suitcase to overflowing with their favorite brew.  This practice caused a few raised eyebrows among my neighbors, but when they tried their first cup of my parent's tea, they told me they would be packing their suitcase too.  By the time they left several weeks later it was all gone, and that empty suitcase was used for taking back gifts and souvenirs.  Now I can buy British tea just about everywhere, and enjoy a cup or two, or three.

Traditionally I make scones with raisins but I found this delicious recipe for Cranberry Orange Scones, and was eager to try something different. 

Cranberry Orange Scones

Makes 8 scones

1-1/2 sticks of cold butter

1-2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 orange, zested and juiced

2 eggs

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Combine chopped cold butter, flour, sugar, orange zest, baking powder and salt in either a stand or hand-held mixer, until the mixture forms into small, pea-sized clumps.

In a separate bowl, combine eggs, heavy cream and dried cranberries.

Slowly pour the liquids in as the mixer continues to run, and make sure your fingers are clear.  Yes I am overly cautious but you know, I have done silly things in the past and have never forgotten.  Once all ingredients are incorporated, turn the mixer off and scoop the dough onto a floured surface.

Knead the dough just enough to bring it together and create one smooth surface (without seams or folds if possible, it isn't always).

Dust the top lightly with flour and roll the dough out to about 1-1/4 inch thickness.  Cut using a round plain or fluted cutter that has been dipped in flour.  Dipping the cutter into the flour will help between each cut.  Just press down hard and give a slight twist.

Place scones on a parchment-lined sheet pan and bake for 15-18 minutes.  (I did not have any parchment paper so I lined my sheet with non-stick aluminum foil.  This worked out really well.  My scones also baked in the 18 minute range but it will all depend on your own oven.)

While the scones are baking go ahead and prepare the glaze.  For this you will need:

1-1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1/2 cup fresh orange juice (my two oranges produced the 1/2 cup of juice but I suppose it will all depend on how large or how much juice there is in them.  Mine were medium size)

Mix the ingredients until it makes a smooth, pourable glaze.

Leave the scones to cool slightly before drizzling with the glaze.

And there you go, one very delicious scone.  Son really enjoyed his and when I made them originally I was asked for the recipe.  They are pretty rich, especially with the Devon Clotted Cream......

and strawberry jam.  This is the type of cream I have always used, my mother before me.  I can get it at our local supermarket in the section where they also sell imported cheese.  If you can't find clotted cream this website has a recipe.  

I hope you have enjoyed the look of today's recipe.  Thanks for stopping by and have a great week.

Bon Appetit!