Cranberry orange scones soft, not too sweet

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This article was published 14/12/2024 (266 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Is there a more festive flavour pairing than orange and cranberry? Today’s Homemade Holiday recipe combines the two in a soft, fluffy scone filled with plump cranberries and zippy orange zest. These would be a welcome, not-too-sweet addition to a holiday breakfast or brunch.

Marlene Cyncora discovered this recipe in a magazine and it has become a staple of coffee dates with friends and family. She likes to prep the wet and dry ingredients in advance, mixing everything together and popping the scones in the oven 45 minutes before company is set to arrive.

“They are so good when right out of the oven,” she writes.

Cranberry Orange Scones

Recipe submitted by Marlene Cyncora

Ingredients

• 750 ml (3 cups) all purpose flour
• 45 ml (3 tbsp) sugar
• 2.5 ml (½ tsp) salt
• 20 ml (4 tsp) baking powder
• 2.5 ml (½ tsp) cream of tartar
• 190 ml (¾ cup) cold butter or margarine
• 1 egg
• 250 ml (1 cup) milk
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) orange zest
• 125 ml (½ cup) dried cranberries, soaked in orange juice
• Small amount of melted butter for brushing

Glaze:

• 15 ml (1 tbsp) orange juice
• 5 ml (1 tsp) orange zest
• 250 ml (1 cup) icing sugar, sifted

Directions

1. Soak cranberries in orange juice for about 20 minutes or until plumped.
2. Cut butter into small cubes and place in fridge to keep cold.
3. Preheat oven to 220 C (425 F).
4. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and cream of tartar.
5. Cut cold butter into the flour mixture with a pastry blender until medium-sized crumbs form.
6. In a separate bowl, beat egg with milk. Slowly pour into the butter/flour mixture, stirring with a fork until combined. Dough will be sticky.
7. Drain cranberries and add to dough along with 15 ml (1 tbsp) grated orange zest. Mix until just incorporated.
8. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead gently a few times.
9. Pat dough into a circle 2.5 cm (1-inch) thick. Cut into eight triangles and transfer to a parchment-lined sheet pan. Brush tops with melted butter.
10. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. Let cool on a rack for about 10 minutes.
11. Mix together glaze ingredients and drizzle over cooled scones.

eva.wasney@winnipegfreepress.com

Eva Wasney
Reporter

Eva Wasney has been a reporter with the Free Press Arts & Life department since 2019. Read more about Eva.

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