Friday, October 15, 2004
Cranberry-Orange Scones
When I was a girl, we sometimes spent Thanksgiving at my Aunt and Uncles' beach house on the eastern tip of Long Island. It really is the perfect place to spend the holiday. One of the best parts (and there were many) was the cranberry bog that was behind their house. My brother and cousin and I would go and gather the crimson berries and later help to make the sweet and tart sauce. It was a really wonderful time. It took me years to realize cranberries can be eaten all year long (and they freeze so well!)...so I started making these scones on days like today...
2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons grated orange zest
1 tablespoon baking powder
large pinch of salt
pinch of nutmeg
1 stick cold butter, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup dried, sweetened cranberries
1/4 cup crème fraîche
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 large egg
4 tablespoons milk, buttermilk or heavy cream
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Butter a foil lined cookie sheet.
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, zest, baking powder, nutmeg and salt. Add the chilled butter. Rub the butter into the mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Gently stir in the cranberries.
In another bowl, whisk together the crème fraîche, juice, and egg. Using a fork, gradually add to the flour mixture.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board and gently knead until smooth. Roll or pat the dough into a circle about 3/4 inch thick. Cut into eight wedges.
Place the scones 1 inch apart on your baking sheet. Brush with the milk (and top with extra sugar, or if you have it a sprinkle with a few packets of that "Sugar In The Raw.")
Bake for 12 to 16 minutes, until slightly browned. Serve immediately.
Makes eight
________________________________________
This weekend if you are, for some reason,
heading to New Jersey, why not check this out
Chatsworth Cranberry Festival
October 16-17
Chatsworth, New Jersey
www.cranfest.org
In 2001 approximately 558 million
pounds of cranberries were produced
in the United States. Canada produced
approximately 50 million additional pounds.
(Source: The Cranberry Institute)
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