Cranberry Orange Scones

You know how over the years you collect recipes, but you have no clue where it came from, how you found it, or who shared it? Such is the case with a few recipes in my recipe binder that I've printed off from websites and blogs.

I've had this recipe for a long time, but never made it up until last weekend when I was in the mood for scones. Actually, I was hungry for scones all semester, but never made any on my Friday night baking whims. My roommate was most likely entertained by my sudden creative bursts in the kitchen on the weekends.

So today on the blog I present you with the recipe I used (but tweaked from the original). If you have something similar and know of a source, I'd be more than happy to revise this blog post and give credit where credit is due. The scones are soft and moist, and are not heavy or dense. Neither are they dry and crumbly. Perfection to me, but I know everyone has different scone preferences.

Cranberry Orange Scones

1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 1/2 t. baking powder
2 1/2 T. sugar
1/4 t. salt
6 T. of cold butter
1/2 c. dried cranberries
1 t. freshly grated orange zest
1 large egg
1/3 c. heavy cream

Mix together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Cut in butter with a pastry blender/cutter and then finish off with pinching the remaining pieces of butter until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Stir in cranberries and orange zest.

In a small bowl, beat together egg and cream. Add to the flour mixture; stir gently until everything comes together and dough is somewhat sticky. My dough seemed a bit to firm so I poured in a few tablespoons of almond milk from the fridge, but any milk or more cream would certainly work.

Divide the dough into two equal portions and transfer to a floured surface. Shape and pat down dough into imperfect circular shapes and cut it into 4 wedges. Place each triangle close by the others in a circular fashion onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake @ 425 degrees for about 12 minutes or until golden.

While baking, prepare the Orange Glaze:

1 1/2 T. freshly squeezed orange juice.
3/4 c. powdered sugar
1 t. freshly grated orange zest

Mix together, and add enough sugar to have a glaze to your liking. I poured in a bit more sugar in mine since it seemed a bit to thin. Scoop it into a plastic bag (if you don't have any fancy decorating gadgets) and cut off a corner to squeeze glaze onto scones.

They taste especially good if enjoyed with a cup of coffee and in the company of a sister or friend.