Sometimes things can 'look' and 'seem' more complicated than they really are. Take for instance, 'scones', I mean it's a cool word and, for me, it conjures up images of being prim and proper and British. Maybe afternoon tea where you have your pinky finger posied and you're sipping from a vintage bone china cup.
Scones really are a kind of biscuit. Not real sweet. And, the varieties can be just about anything that you like. From pumpkin to lemon to just plain scones with a hint of vanilla, you can create your own flavor profile. Since I had some juicy sweet Mandarin oranges, I wanted to squeeze the beautiful vibrant healthy juice and use it in the recipe. Then what's better with oranges than cranberries!
These disk-like dollops are each uniquely shaped. That's my style when baking. I love having the imperfections, the cracks and crevices and the personalities of each scone shine. There's a nice crunch and the inside texture is moist, especially if you eat them shortly after baking. And, I served with a blood orange fruit spread that just made the entire experience even more elegant!Enjoy and be sure to raise your pinky while sipping your coffee or tea and having a scone!
Preheat oven to 350
Makes: 10-12 3-4" scones
What you need:
2/3 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed (I used sweet mandarin oranges.)
1 tsp. orange blossom extract
¼ cup oil, canola
2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbl. Baking powder
1/3 cup + 2 tsp. sugar (divided)
Pinch sea salt
½ cup dried cranberries
What you do:
Combine in a small bowl the juice, extract and oil and blend together.
In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder. Add in one-third cup of sugar and the salt. Mix together. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and blend well. Add cranberries and blend together.
Dollop on to a parchment paper lined cookie sheet spacing about 2-3 inches apart. Sprinkle with the remaining sugar.
Bake in a preheated 350 oven about 12-15 minutes. Remove and cool a few minutes. Serve with your favorite fruit jam.
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