Orange & Cranberry Scones
An Original Recipe by Not Quite Nigella
Make 8 scones
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 2 cups hot water
- 2 cups plain all purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons caster or superfine sugar
- 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 120g/4ozs cold butter, cut into cubes
- 3/4 cup buttermilk*
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- finely grated zest of an orange (I used Valencia oranges which is why the zest isn't very orange)
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 cup icing sugar
- 2 teaspoons orange juice
- Butter and honey to serve
*To make quick buttermilk, add a couple of teaspoons of lemon juice to a cup of regular milk. It will curdle slightly but that's fine.
Step 1 - Soak cranberries for 10 minutes in the hot water and then drain well. Preheat oven to 200C/400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
Step 2 - In a food processor whiz the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cream of tartar together for a few seconds. Then add the butter cubes and process until you get fine crumbs. Empty this into a bowl and add the buttermilk, drained cranberries, orange juice and orange zest to the mixture and mix gently to combine. Pat into a ball and press down onto the prepared baking sheet into a round about an inch thick.
Step 3 - Take a pastry cutter or a butter knife and cut into 8 wedges, separating them on the sheet a little. Brush with egg yolk and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centre is cooked. Cool on a rack.
Step 4 - Mix the icing sugar and orange juice to make a quick icing and drizzle on top. Serve with butter and honey.