scones

Orange and Oatmeal Scones

Oatmeal and Orange Scone

I love fresh scones, still warm from the oven. Since it is citrus season, I decided to make scones with some seasonal orange flavor.  These scones have a nice, crunchy outside and crumbly, tender middle.

The orange juice and orange zest gives them a wonderful flavor. The oatmeal gives them a lovely texture and the raisins add just a bit if sweetness. A very nice combination.

These are great served warm, topped with sweet butter and jam. They are perfect for breakfast or brunch.

You can also use these scones as the base for a berry shortcake. Split, topped with sweetened berries and some whipped cream, they turn into a simple and tasty dessert.

Orange and Oatmeal Scones

2 1/2 cups flour
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup very cold, unsalted butter – cut into chunks
1 egg
1/2 cup orange juice
2 t. grated orange peel
1 cup raisins – plumped and well dried
Glaze
milk, sugar, orange zest

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper (double two sheets if you have them – one inside the other). Preheat oven to 425 F. In a large bowl, place flour, oatmeal, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda and mix together. Cut or rub in butter to make a mealy mixture. Stir in egg and orange juice. Add orange peel and raisins. Mix to make a soft dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead for a few minutes. Roll or pat out into a thickness of 1/2 inch. Using a serrated cookie cutter cut into disks or rounds. Brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar and orange zest. Bake until nicely browned – about 14 minutes. Makes about 24.

Grapefruit Scones

Grapefruit Scones

I wanted something to serve with tea and decided to make scones. I am not sure why I decided to use grapefruit in the recipe. It might have been that big bowl of organic pink grapefruit sitting on the counter.

I started with a scone recipe I had used before, then tweaked it by adding grapefruit zest and juice. I added grapefruit juice and zest every where I could think of.

They came out great. You could even see little flecks of pink here and there.

Scones, done right, are very tender. These scones came out just perfect. A little crispy on the outside, tender on the inside. Not too sweet and the delicate flavor of grapefruit. So here is the recipe.

Grapefruit Scones

2 c. flour

½ c. sugar

1 T. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

½ t. salt

Zest of 1 grapefruit

½ c. cold butter

 1 egg, beaten

¼ c. half and half

¼ c. grapefruit juice

Topping:

2-3 T. half and half

4 T. sugar

1 T. grapefruit zest

Glaze:

1½ powdered sugar

1 T. grapefruit zest

3-4 T. grapefruit juice

Preheat oven to 375. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone liner- or grease lightly. Set aside. In medium bowl, combine flour with sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and zest. Cut in cold butter until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. In small bowl, combine egg with half and half and grapefruit juice. Add to flour mixture and stir until mixture forms into a soft dough. Mix until combined, but don’t overmix. On lightly floured surface, divide dough in half. Dust an 8-inch round cake pan. Add half of the dough and press in until dough is evenly spread in the pan. Turn the pan over, quickly onto the prepared baking sheet to get the dough out. Note: this part seems a little tricky, but it gives you a perfect 8-inch circle of dough. Don’t under-flour the pan and the dough will come right out. Also, be sure to flip the dough near one corner of the baking sheet, so you will have room for the other half of the dough. Re-flour the cake pan, press in the rest of the dough and flip it onto the baking sheet. Now you have 2 ( 8-inch)  circles of dough on the baking sheet- hopefully. Don’t sweat this part. If the dough doesn’t come out easily, just scrape it out of the cake pan, add more flour, return the dough to the cake pan, and try it again. And when you are flipping it out of the pan- do it quickly. If you prefer, you can place the dough on the baking sheet, in two piles, and shape it into 2 ( 8-inch) circles. Using a dough cutter or a spatula, cut each circle of dough into 8 wedges. For the topping, brush the scones with half and half. Combine the sugar and zest and sprinkle over the dough. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until golden brown. Re-cut the scones where you cut them before, and place the scones on a cooling rack. Let them cool a few minutes. Meanwhile, make the glaze. Combine the powdered sugar and zest, then add enough grapefruit juice to make a glaze you can drizzle. Using a small spoon or even a fork, drizzle the tops of the scones with the glaze. Make a pot of tea and eat your scones. Makes 16.          

Cranberry Orange Scones

Cranberry Orange Scones

I make scones pretty often. There is nothing quite like the taste of fresh-baked scones. Plus, baking them makes the house smell wonderful.

These scones are shaped by pressing the dough in a round cake pan, then cutting into wedges before baking.

They come out looking great and tasting great, too. If you don’t have buttermilk just add a little lemon juice to regular milk. I actually used half and half instead of milk, and added 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to the half and half. It worked great.

Perfect breakfast for this weekend. Serve warm with butter and jam.

Cranberry-Orange Scones

2 c. flour

4 T. sugar

2 t. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

1 t. grated orange peel

½ t. salt

¼ c. butter

1 c. dried cranberries

2/3 c. buttermilk

1 egg

Extra milk and sugar, for topping

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and lightly grease a baking sheet. Combine dry ingredients in medium bowl and cut in butter to resemble coarse crumbs. Stir in cranberries. Beat together milk and egg and add to flour mixture, stirring with fork until just coming together. Turn onto floured surface and knead 5-6 strokes or until ball of dough holds together. Transfer dough to prepared sheet and with floured hands, press dough into an eight-inch circle. I place dough in floured 8-inch cake pan, then invert onto the baking sheet- for a nice, even circle. With a sharp, floured knife cut dough into 8 wedges. Brush top of dough with a little extra milk, then sprinkle tops with a bit of sugar.  Bake 14-16 minutes. Makes 8.

Dough can also be patted out on work surface and cut into circles or pressed into a square and cut into smaller squares.

Cinnamon Coffee Scones

Cinnamon Coffee Scones

Scones should be tender, a little crumbly, and still moist in the middle. These scones are delicate, full of coffee flavor, and not too sweet. You might think of only serving scones with tea, but these are wonderful with a cup of coffee.

As with any scone, the secret is not to over work the dough. You can eat these plain or with a bit of butter or jam. I’m having mine with a cup of coffee. They really make a tasty start to the day.

When someone tells me they don’t like scones, I am sure it is because they haven’t had good scones. In a cooking class, one of the students said she only had scones once, and they were heavy and dry. I encouraged her to seek out better scones. I think these would win her over.

 Cinnamon Coffee Scones

2/3 c. half and half

2 T. instant coffee powder or espresso powder

1 t. vanilla

1 egg

2 1/4 c. flour

1/2 c. sugar

1 T. baking powder

1 t. cinnamon

1 t. salt

1/2 c. cold butter

1 T. half and half, for brushing the scones

2 T. cinnamon sugar, for sprinkling on the scones

Coffee Cinnamon Glaze- recipe follows

In microwave safe container combine half and half with the coffee powder and heat 30 seconds or so. Stir to dissolve coffee and cool down before using. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Add vanilla and egg to cooled coffee mixture and beat until smooth. Set aside. Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Some small pieces of butter can still be visible. Stir in coffee mixture and mix gently until a soft dough forms. At this point you are supposed to press the dough into an 8-inch circle on a baking sheet. To get a really neat circle use an 8-inch cake pan. Sprinkle the pan with a little flour and put the dough in the pan. Press the dough into the pan. Turn the cake pan over onto an ungreased baking sheet. Do this part fast. Slam it down and then remove the cake pan. You will have a perfect 8-inch circle of dough. Use a sharp knife to cut the dough in half. If the dough is too sticky sprinkle the top with a little more flour. Cut in half again and then 2 more times. You will have eight wedges of dough forming 8 scones. Pull dough apart slightly using a spatula. They grow a lot when baking and this will give them more room to expand. Brush with the extra half and half and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar. Bake for 20 minutes or until they spring back when touched lightly. Make glaze and drizzle over the warm scones. Makes 8.

Coffee Cinnamon Glaze

2 T. half and half

2 t. instant coffee powder or espresso powder

1 t. cinnamon

1 c. powdered sugar

Heat half and half and coffee powder together in microwave safe container for 10 seconds. Stir until smooth. Stir in cinnamon and powdered sugar until smooth and drizzle over the scones.

Grapefruit Scones

Grapefruit Scones

I needed something to serve with tea and decided to make scones. I am not sure why I decided to use grapefruit in the recipe. It might have been that big bowl of pink grapefruit sitting on the counter.

I started with a scone recipe I had used before, then tweaked it by adding grapefruit zest and juice. I added grapefruit juice and zest every where I could think of.

They came out great and were a big hit with my guests. You could even see a little fleck of pink here and there.

Scones, done right, are very tender. These scones came out just perfect. A little crispy on the outside, tender on the inside. Not too sweet and the delicate flavor of grapefruit. So here is the recipe.

Grapefruit Scones

2 c. flour

½ c. sugar

1 T. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

½ t. salt

Zest of 1 grapefruit

½ c. cold butter

 1 egg, beaten

¼ c. half and half

¼ c. grapefruit juice

Topping:

2-3 T. half and half

4 T. sugar

1 T. grapefruit zest

Glaze:

1½ powdered sugar

1 T. grapefruit zest

3-4 T. grapefruit juice

Preheat oven to 375. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone liner- or grease lightly. Set aside. In medium bowl, combine flour with sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and zest. Cut in cold butter until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. In small bowl, combine egg with half and half and grapefruit juice. Add to flour mixture and stir until mixture forms into a soft dough. Mix until combined, but don’t overmix. On lightly floured surface, divide dough in half. Dust an 8-inch round cake pan. Add half of the dough and press in until dough is evenly spread in the pan. Turn the pan over, quickly onto the prepared baking sheet to get the dough out. Note: this part seems a little tricky, but it gives you a perfect 8-inch circle of dough. Don’t under-flour the pan and the dough will come right out. Also, be sure to flip the dough near one corner of the baking sheet, so you will have room for the other half of the dough. Re-flour the cake pan, press in the rest of the dough and flip it onto the baking sheet. Now you have 2 ( 8-inch)  circles of dough on the baking sheet- hopefully. Don’t sweat this part. If the dough doesn’t come out easily, just scrape it out of the cake pan, add more flour, return the dough to the cake pan, and try it again. And when you are flipping it out of the pan- do it quickly. If you prefer, you can place the dough on the baking sheet, in two piles, and shape it into 2 ( 8-inch) circles. Using a dough cutter or a spatula, cut each circle of dough into 8 wedges. For the topping, brush the scones with half and half. Combine the sugar and zest and sprinkle over the dough. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until golden brown. Re-cut the scones where you cut them before, and place the scones on a cooling rack. Let them cool a few minutes. Meanwhile, make the glaze. Combine the powdered sugar and zest, then add enough grapefruit juice to make a glaze you can drizzle. Using a small spoon or even a fork, drizzle the tops of the scones with the glaze. Make a pot of tea and eat your scones. Makes 16.          

        

Very Berry Scones

Very Berry Scones

I had been cleaning out the freezer and found some berries from last summer. I decided to use some of them to make these scones.  Even when the weather is chilly- berry scones make me think of warm summer days.

I used a combination of blueberries and  blackberries, but raspberries would work nicely, too. I was so pleased with how they came out. They were a little crisp on the outside, but crumbly and tender on the inside.

These scones aren’t too sweet. With scones, I think you can always sweeten them up by serving them with jam, if you like. I had one for breakfast this morning, and it was wonderful. Still warm from the oven.

They could also be used as a dessert- as the base for a shortcake. Split the scones, add some sweetened berries, sweetened whipped cream or ice cream as a filling. Top with whipped cream or more berries. A simple, classic dessert.

The secret to a tender scone is to be gentle with the dough. Do not mix it too much. As soon as the dough holds together, you are good to go. I used an ice cream scoop to portion them out. If you are rolling out scones, try to cut as many out at one time as possible. Each time you re-roll scraps of dough- the scones become a little tougher.

Since I have more frozen berries, I think I will use some of them to turn the rest of my scones into berry shortcakes for dessert later today.

Here is the recipe.

 

Very Berry Scones 

2 c. flour

1/4 c. sugar

1 T. baking powder

¾ t. salt

6 T. chilled butter

1 ½ c. berries, fresh or frozen- do not thaw berries – I used blackberries and blueberries

1 t. lemon or orange zest

2 large eggs

1/3 c. heavy cream

 

Mix dry ingredients together in bowl and cut in butter to resemble coarse crumbs. Toss in blueberries and zest. Beat together eggs and cream and stir into flour mixture. Mix very gently to avoid bruising berries. Use a small ice cream scoop to scoop out batter and place on baking sheet. Place scoops about an inch apart. Press down slightly. Brush with a little cream and sprinkle with a little extra sugar. Bake in a preheated 400-degree oven for 20-22 minutes. Makes 15-18.

Chocolate Orange Scones

Chocolate Orange Scones

Chocolate Orange Scones

These  scones are a great addition for breakfast or a brunch. The dough is flavored with orange zest and they are studded with chocolate chips. They would also be a nice start for Valentine’s Day. They aren’t really sweet, which I like. You can serve them with strawberry preserves and whipped cream.  They can also become dessert by splitting the scones and using them as the base for a berry shortcake.

 

 

Chocolate-Orange Scones

1½ c. baking mix, like Jiffy or Bisquick or homemade
1 T. grated orange peel
¾ c. heavy cream
½ c. milk chocolate chips or 3 oz. milk chocolate, chopped

Combine baking mix and orange peel in medium bowl. Stir in cream to make a soft dough that forms into a ball in the bowl. On floured surface gently knead in chocolate and press or roll dough to 3/4- inch thickness. Cut into 2 1/4 -inch rounds, rerolling scraps. You should get 8. Place on and ungreased cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 425-degree oven for 8-10 minutes.
Double chocolate version: Knead 3 tablespoons of cocoa into dough with the chocolate chips.

 

Caramel Pumpkin Scones

Caramel Pumpkin Scone

Caramel Pumpkin Scone

I love the flavor of these scones but also their sort of rustic appearance. The soft dough is dropped by spoonfuls onto baking sheets. I use an ice cream scoop to do this. They rise up into tender, slightly sweet scones with cracks over the surface. I have made these before and normally top them with a powdered sugar glaze. Alas, I was out of powdered sugar and didn’t feel like making any so I had to improvise. I decided to make a vanilla flavored caramel instead. It worked out well and I will do this again, even if I am not out of powdered sugar.

 

Here is the recipe.

 

Caramel Pumpkin Scones

4 c. all purpose flour

1/2 c. sugar

1 T. baking powder

1 t. each salt, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and ginger

1/2 t. cloves

1 1/2 sticks cold butter

1 c. cooked pumpkin or winter squash

3 oz. milk

2 eggs

Caramel:

2/3 c. sugar

3 T. butter

2 t. vanilla

 

Preheat oven to 400. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets or line them with parchment paper. Set aside. Combine flour with sugar, baking powder and spices and stir to blend. Cut in butter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Combine pumpkin or squash with the milk and eggs and stir into the flour mixture. Stir until well mixed. Dough should be just a little sticky. Use an ice cream scoop to scoop dough onto the prepared baking sheets- leaving a couple of inches between them. Hint: If you spray a little non-stick spray on the cookie scoop first the dough will pop out easier.  Bake for 15 minutes or until scones are browned on the bottom and just getting golden on the top. If you want to put both baking sheets in the oven at the same time- switch them half way through the baking time and allow a few extra minutes. Remove scones to cooling rack.

Meanwhile make caramel by placing the sugar in a small saucepan and cooking over medium heat until sugar has melted and turned a golden color. Remove from the heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Mixture will bubble a lot. Keep stirring until smooth.  Mixture is really hot. You can hold the scones and dip the tops in the warm caramel mixture or use a spoon to drizzle the caramel over the top.  If you are dipping the scones transfer the caramel into another container- the saucepan will be hot and make it tricky to dip them without getting burned. I used a shallow metal bowl and it worked great. Caramel will be very shiny and sticky but will cool down and become less shiny and sticky.   Makes about 20-30 depending on the size of the scoop you use.

 

 

 

Cranberry Buttermilk Scones

Cranberry Buttermilk Scones

Cranberry Buttermilk Scones

I love scones fresh out of the oven. Don’t get me wrong- I’ll eat them even after a couple of days but there is nothing quite like the taste of fresh baked scones. These scones are actually baked in cake pans so this recipe is easy and tasty. If you don’t have buttermilk just add a little lemon juice to regular milk. Perfect breakfast for this weekend.

Cranberry-Buttermilk Scones

3 c. flour
¼ c. plus 2 T. sugar
2 t. baking powder
¼ t. salt
1 ¼ sticks (10 tablespoons) chilled butter, cubed
3/4 c. dried cranberries
½ c. buttermilk
3 large eggs
1 t. water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine flour with ¼ c. sugar, baking powder, and salt. Rub in butter with finger tips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in cranberries. Combine milk with 2 of the eggs and beat together. Stir egg mixture into flour mixture and stir until dough begins to form into a ball. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead about 10 stokes until dough holds together. Grease 2 nine inch cake pans. divide dough in half and place one piece in each cake pan. Press dough out evenly. Combine remaining egg with 2 teaspoons water and beat until well mixed. Score top of loaves with sharp knife into 8 wedges each. Brush with egg mixture and sprinkle with reserved sugar. Bake until golden, about 30 minutes. Cool 5 minutes, turn onto plates and cool right side up. Cut along score marks. Serve warm. Makes 16.

Irish Soda Bread Scones

Irish Soda Bread Scones

Irish Soda Bread Scones

I was getting ready to make some Irish Soda Bread but then I got to thinking about scones. Couldn’t make up my mind so I combined them in this recipe. They came out really great. A little crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. Wonderful all on their own but even better with butter and jam or perhaps some Devonshire clotted cream.

  Irish Soda Bread Scones

2 c. flour

3 T. sugar

2 t. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

½ t. salt

1/3 c. butter

½ c. raisins

1 t. caraway seeds

2/3 c. buttermilk

1 egg

Milk

Extra sugar for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and lightly grease a baking sheet. Combine dry ingredients in medium bowl and cut in butter to resemble coarse crumbs. Stir in raisins and caraway seeds. Beat together buttermilk and egg and add to flour mixture, stirring with fork until mixture just coming together. Turn onto floured surface and knead 5-6 strokes or until ball of dough holds together. Dust an 8-inch round cake with  flour. Press dough into cake pan. Invert pan over onto prepared baking sheet. I find if I do this quickly the dough comes out more easily. Remove cake pan. This will give you a perfect 8-inch circle of dough.  With a sharp, floured knife cut dough into 8 wedges. Brush top with milk and sprinkle with extra sugar. Bake 14-16 minutes. Makes 8. 

Fresh from the oven

Fresh from the oven

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