I have been stuck at home due to the 2 feet of snow on the ground. So I thought that baking is a great way to pass the time. My friend L has been busy with her fascination with scones. Normally I would make her share with me, but since I won’t get to see her anytime soon I decided I had to make my own scones or I would have to go without. Going without is, of course, not an option. I needed something tasty to have with my afternoon coffee. Make sure all your ingredients are really cold. When working the dough, try to do so quickly, so the butter does not melt into your hands. Serve these with fruit preserves and a dollop of clotted cream. If you don’t have clotted cream, whipped cream or sweetened mascarpone will do.
Orange Scones
2¼ cup flour
½ cup sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
6 tablespoons butter, diced
¾ cup half and half or heavy cream
1 egg
Zest of 1 large orange
Turbinado sugar for sprinkling
Extra half and half or cream for brushing tops
¼ cup dried fruit (optional)
- Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. With a dough blender, or two knives, incorporate the butter. In another bowl, beat the egg with the half and half, add in the orange zest. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix with a fork until just incorporated. At this point you could add about ¼ cup of cherries, cranberries, raisins, currants, etc. Place dough on a floured surface and pat it down until it is about 1 ½ inch thick. Cut the dough into rounds with a 3 inch cutter and place on a baking sheet lined with a silpat or parchment paper. Brush tops with half and half, and sprinkle liberally with turbinado sugar. Bake for 16-20 minutes on the middle rack of your oven. Scones are best right out of the oven, but you can store them in a sealed plastic bag for about 2-3 days.
One Vanilla Bean 