scones – LoremIpsum

Afternoon tea and scones may be popular with the British, but it doesn’t mean that we Americans shouldn’t enjoy them too! Here’s a great cranberry orange scone recipe I’d like to share with you from one of my favorite chefs, Ina Garten: The Barefoot Contessa.

My mom, sister, and I have been making these scones for years. I didn’t mention my dad or husband in the last sentence, because they don’t like these…. they say they’re too “girly” and they don’t like dried fruit. So ladies, this is a recipe for you and primarily your girlfriends. Don’t bother the guys with this one, save the cocoa brownies with browned butter and walnuts for them!

For those of you who have never eaten a scone, it’s like eating a sweet biscuit. They are flakey, buttery and the orange zest and dried cranberries result in the perfect combination of flavors in this quick bread. Don’t forget to drizzle some of the orange glaze on top! Enjoy.

Mix flour, sugar, powder, salt and orange zest.

Add the cold butter and mix until the size of peas.

Combine the eggs and heavy cream.

Fole in the dried cranberries.

Knead dough and roll to 3/4-inch thick. Cut circles of dough with a biscuit cutter.

Place cut out dough on parchment-lined baking sheet.

Brush tops with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for 20-25 minutes in a 400 degree F oven. Cool for 15 minutes and drizzle with orange glaze.

Eat up!

Cranberry Orange Scones
Ingredients
4 cups plus 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup
2 Tbsp. baking powder
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 Tbsp. grated orange zest
3/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced
4 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup cold heavy cream
1 cup dried cranberries
1 egg beaten with 2 Tbsp. water or milk for egg wash
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, plus 2 Tbsp.
4 tsp. freshly squeezed orange juice

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix 4 cups of flour, 1/4 cup sugar, the baking powder, salt and orange zest. Add the cold butter and mix at the lowest speed until the butter is the size of peas.
3. Combine the eggs and heavy cream and, with the mixer on low speed, slowly pour into the flour and butter mixture. Mix until just blended. The dough will look lumpy!
4. Combine the dried cranberries and 1/4 cup of flour, add to the dough, and mix on low speed until blended.
5. Dump the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead it into a ball. Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough 3/4 -inch thick. You should see small bits of butter in the dough. Keep moving the dough on the floured board so it doesn’t stick. Flour a 3-inch round plain or fluted cutter and cut circles of dough.
6. Place the scones on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Collect scraps neatly, roll them out, and cut more circles.
7. Brush the tops of the scones with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar, and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the tops are browned and the insides are fully baked. The scones will be firm to the touch. Allow the scones to cool for 15 minutes and then whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and orange juice, and drizzle over the scones.

Yield: 14-16 Scones
Recipe from: Barefoot Contessa

These are officially my favorite scones in the whole wide world! Last time we made them with all dried cranberries, so this time we tried them with half dried blueberries. We actually prefer them with only cranberries….the blueberries are almost too strong. This is from “Once Upon a Tart…” Cookbook from the Once Upon a Tart… cafe and bakery in New York City.

Cut the butter in 1/4 inch cubes.

Mix together the dry ingredients.

Combine butter with dry ingredients.

Now add the egg and buttermilk mixture.

Next mix in the dried blueberries and cranberries with the dough.

Form dough into 8 rounds and place them evenly on a cookie sheet.

Place in 400 degree oven and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Slightly cool and serve warm!

Dried Cranberry Scones with Crystallized Sugar Crust.
Ingredients
3 cups flour; plus more to flour your hands to roll out the scones
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
20 tbsp (2 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
2 large eggs
1/2 cup cold buttermilk
3/4 cup dried cranberries (we used half dried blueberries and half dried cranberries)
1 large egg whisked with 1 tbsp cream or milk (egg wash)
1 tbsp or more granulated or raw sugar for sprinkling

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Dump the dry ingredients into the bowl all at once, and run the electric mixer on low for 15 seconds.
3. Add the butter and mix until pea-size clumps form. Be careful not to let the dough form a paste.
4. In a separate, small bowl, whisk the eggs to break up the yolks. Whisk in the buttermilk, and use the whisk to stir in the dried fruit.
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with flour-butter crumbs. Stir the dough with a wooden spoon until it just comes together and there is no trace of flour visible. You don’t want to work the dough a moment longer than necessary.
6. With a little bit of flour on your hands, scoop out a small handful (1/2 cup) of dough with your hand or a big spoon, and roll the dough until it forms a ball. Drop the dough onto your baking sheet, and press it into a 1 to 1 1/2 inch thick disk with the heel of one hand. Leave 2 inch spaces between the pressed disks.
7. Use a pastry brush and coat each scone with the egg wash. Sprinkle the scones with a thick layer of sugar.
8. Place the baking sheet on a center rack in the oven, and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and a small knife or toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean.
9. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, and place it on a wire rack to allow the scones to cool for a few minutes. Lift the baking sheet off the rack, and used a spatula to transfer the scones from the baking sheet to the rack, or directly to the dish from which you’ll be serving the scones. Serve fresh out of the oven, or at room temperature.

Yield: 8 scones
Recipe from: Once Upon a Tart by Frank Mentesana and Jerome Audreau