Cranberry Orange Scones

Ever since I attended the fashion school at Kent State University, scones have been one of my favorite treats. I was never one for excessively sweet desserts. Actually, I’m not much for desserts in general. There is just something about a doughnut or a chunk of banana cream cheesecake that makes my stomach feel like its about to do the limbo on a set of rollerskates. Desserts just aren’t my thing.

However, baking is my thing. I love to bake. There is something theraputic about it. I can be in the worst mood, but if I bake, I can rocket into a honey-glazed daze of happiness. I enjoy mixing the ingredients, and I love garnishing my creations. Baking is a creative vent. A creative vent with an exciting twist.

It makes others happy too.

That is why I’m sharing my original scone recipe with all of you. The final product always puts a smile on my face. I want the same for Into the Inkpot readers.

By the way, when you see the letters “CGS” it means there is a tip or trick that I will reveal. You’ll find the details after the recipe. Have fun!

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 ½ tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ cup unsalted butter (or margarine), cut into chunks
1 ½ cups dried cranberries
orange zest
juice from half an orange
¾ cup buttermilk
1 egg white, lightly beaten
sugar, for glaze

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, combine flour, 2 ½ tablespoons sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg.

Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix in dried cranberries. Next, grate fresh orange zest into the mixture. Make sure you only grate the orange-colored peel of the orange. Cut the same orange in half, and squeeze the juice out of one of the halves, directly into the mix (be careful not to get seeds in the mix). Mix in buttermilk with fork (CGS#1).

Gather the dough into a ball; knead it on a lightly floured surface for about three minutes (CGS#2). Pat or roll the dough out until it is ¾ of an inch thick. With a sharp knife, cut the dough into 4-inch triangles.

Space apart on a greased baking sheet (CGS#3). Brush the tops of the scones with egg white (CGS#4). Then, sprinkle each with sugar. Bake for 20 minutes or until nicely browned.

My recommendation is to serve the scones warm, with butter and orange slices (CGS#5).

Recipe makes 4-6 scones.

College Girl Secrets:

The following are some tricks I have discovered while baking during my college years. You are welcome to try them out. A few save me time, and others save me money.

College Girl Secret #1:

Don’t splurge on a half-gallon of buttermilk if no one in your home drinks it. Milk products are often sold in single-serving sizes. Save a buck. Buy it tiny.

College Girl Secret #2:

In a hurry? Small cooking space? Want to clean up fast?

If you are working with dough, you will usually need a lightly floured surface. This can be messy. However, there is a trick to help you save time.

Using clear tape, secure wax paper over your work surface. Dust the wax paper with flour. Then, when you need to clean up, the wax paper will easily roll up if you loosen the clear tape on one side. You will be able to easily transport the mess directly to your garbage can.

College Girl Secret #3:

In the spirit of quick cleanup, cover your baking sheet with aluminum foil. After your food has been baked, you can easily remove the aluminum foil and toss it in the garbage can. Your baking sheet is ready to place back in the cabinet. WARNING: Does cause waste and costs money. Aluminum foil is not free. Use this technique sparingly.

College Girl Secret #4:

Need to separate the egg white from the yoke, but you don’t have the right tools? There is no need to take an emergency trip to the store. Instead, you can use a spoon. Crack an egg open and empty its contents into a small bowl. Next, use a large spoon to scoop up the yoke. The egg white will slowly slide off of the yoke and fall into the small bowl. Tada!

College Girl Secret #5:

Do you like the pretty, gourmet garnishes that are achieved by using a sifter? Do you have a sifter? If not, you can use a tea diffuser. Simply fill your tea diffuser with the powdered garnish of your choice (I used cinnamon for the scones), and then lightly shake it above the dish you are using. Now your dish is fabulous!