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Cranberry Orange Scone Recipe
Dried
cranberries are so flavorful—we wanted to load this scone recipe
with orange to balance the abundance of cranberries. So we used the
zest from two oranges, orange-flavored yogurt, and the juice to make
an orange glaze. These are not boring scones.
You can use any quality dried cranberries in this recipe. We recommend that you try our super, cold-processed cranberries. Instead of being processed with a hot corn syrup bath, these are cold-processed and not partially juiced so that more of the pectin and juice remains with the berry for a brighter flavor and color. Learn more about these cold-processed cranberries here.
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Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose
flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup very cold butter
3/4 cup dried cranberries
zest from two oranges (reserve 1/2 teaspoon for the orange glaze)
1 large egg yolk
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 six-ounce tub of orange-flavored yogurt
For the glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1-2 tablespoons orange juice
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
1. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Use a pastry knife to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is coarse and uniform. Stir in the cranberries and zest.
Baker’s note: Use very cold butter. The secret to flaky scones is to keep the butter a solid. If the dough gets warm enough to melt the butter before baking, you will have a very different consistency. The little pieces of butter create steamy pockets in the scones in the hot oven.
2. In a small bowl, mix the egg yolk, brown sugar, vanilla, and yogurt together. Form a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the liquid mixture. Stir to combine then remove to a floured counter and knead until almost uniform.
Baker’s note: Do not over-knead. Too much kneading will develop the gluten in the flour and make the scone tough.
3. Pat the dough into a 3/4-inch thick circle. Cut into wedges or circles. Place the scones on a lightly-greased baking sheet.
Baker’s note: Use a cookie cutter or a glass with the edges dipped in flour to cut shapes. Do not pat the edges down but leave the cuts as sharp as possible to allow the scones to rise in layers.
Work the cut dough pieces as little as possible. The more you handle the dough, the more the gluten will be developed and the more likely the butter will melt. Either will cause tougher scones.
4. Bake for 10 to 14 minutes or until the tops are lightly browned. Remove to a rack to cool. Serve warm.
To make the glaze, stir in the orange juice to get a drizzling consistency. Add the zest and vanilla.
