Monday, February 8, 2010

Orange Cranberry Scones

Ok, if after the last entry you haven't quit reading (sorry for being such a grumbler), I'm back with a good recipe. I have baked a couple of other things in the interim, a poppy seed sour cream cake that was tasty, but a bit dry (I think if I make it again it may get a soak with a syrup before frosting), lasagna (the sauce just wasn't right, I needed tomato paste so I had edible but not great lasagna), and I've been busy with the dogs. Cinnamon's been diagnosed with cancer, so I've done one trip to Raleigh which is several hours away and planning another trip this week. The poor pup has a limited time I'm afraid.

This morning I made cranberry orange scones. The cranberries were bought as the end of the 2009 crop, and I wanted to use them in something tasty. The recipe calls for fresh cranberries, but frozen if you bought a bag and tossed in the freezer would be fine, too. Just adjust your baking time upwards a couple of minutes.The scones are an adaptation on this recipe. I wanted to have some whole wheat flour and I didn't want to waste any orange juice so I added half and half to the orange juice to make 1/2 cup liquid.

Orange Cranberry Scones

1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
10 teaspoons sugar - divided (7 Tbsp for the flour mix, 3 for the fruit)
grated peel of one orange
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup cold butter
1 cup cranberries
orange juice from the orange used for peel
half & half cream added to orange juice to make up 1/2 cup
1 egg


In food processor, chop cranberries on pulse for a few pulses, place in small bowl; combine cranberries, orange juice, cream, and egg. In food processor bowl combine flours, 7 teaspoons sugar, orange peel, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs; set aside. Add fruit and liquid to flour mixture in a separate bowl and stir by hand until a soft dough forms.

On a floured surface, gently knead 6 to 8 times. Pat dough into an 8-inch circle. Cut into 10 wedges. Separate wedges and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Brush with milk, then sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake at 400 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes until lightly browned.

Of course for sweeter scones you could brush these with milk and sprinkle with raw sugar before baking, or glaze with a powdered sugar and milk or orange juice glaze after baking.