Orange Scones

If I’m attending a potluck, chances are that I’ll arrive holding a plate of scones in my hands. Scones are also my go-to dessert to prepare if I’m having guests over for coffee or tea. I’m usually eyeing the dessert selection at different gatherings, trying to pick out something that doesn’t look too sweet and is preferably soft and tender. I figure scones are something that almost everyone would enjoy, and if you don’t like scones, then I don’t know what’s wrong with you:).

I usually make Blueberry Scones, which are awesome and always a winner.  I am a huge fan of anything citrus, so it’s been on my to-do list to make Orange Scones for a LONG time, ever since winter, I’m ashamed to admit. That’s what happens when you’re a food blogger with a list a mile long of all the things that you still want to cook. At any rate, my sister Milana and I recently went out for lunch and she ordered an Orange Scone. (She and I certainly have a lot in common. We both will look past a regal layer cake with swirly icing and reach for a humble scone or bun any day.) Of course, I had to try the scone. That week, oranges were on my shopping list, never mind that citrus season ended in February. I justified it to myself that I only needed one orange anyway.

Marrying 2 of my favorite things turned out to be a splendid match. Scones + Citrus = LOVE:). Not only did I thoroughly enjoy every tender, flaky and citrusy bite of the scone with my coffee during my lunch break at work, (even though it’s midnight, it’s still lunch) but I also got to cross off something from my to-do list. Major satisfaction for a list maker.

Ingredients:

Scones:

1 stick, 8 Tablespoons butter, frozen plus 2 more Tablespoons melted

1/2 cup whole milk

1/2 cup sour cream

2 Tablespoons orange juice

zest of 1/2 – 3/4 of an orange

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for work surface

1/2 cup sugar, plus 1-2 Tablespoons for sprinkling

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon table salt

Glaze:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 Tablespoon buttermilk or milk

2-4  Tablespoons orange juice

zest of 1/2 – 1/4 of an orange

Instructions:

It’s very important that all the ingredients are very cold. Place your butter in the freezer a few hours or even the day before you make the scones.

Mix the dry ingredients, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt, and place them in the refrigerator or the freezer to cool down.

Mix the milk, sour cream, orange zest, orange juice together and vanilla in a medium bowl. Set this mixture aside in the refrigerator also.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
When the flour has chilled for 15-30 minutes, grate the butter on a box grater into the bowl of dry ingredients, mixing the grated butter in the flour as you grate it. Work fast so that the butter doesn’t start to melt. You should have separate curls of butter coated in flour.

Add the liquid ingredients. Mix with a rubber spatula quickly to combine, until the dough comes together.
On a well floured surface, knead the dough just enough so that it comes together.
Gently roll it out into a 12 inch square. Fold it like a business letter, into thirds, using a bench scraper to help you pick up the dough.
Place it on a floured plate and chill in the freezer for 5 minutes.
On the same well floured surface, roll it out into a 12 inch square again.
Using a bench scraper to help you, roll up the dough into a log. Press it into a 12 x 4 inch log.
Using the bench scraper or a sharp knife, cut the log in half and then each half diagonally into 4 triangles, to make 8 scones total.

Place the scones on the prepared baking sheet and brush the scones with the melted butter.
Bake for 18-25 minutes, until the scones are golden brown on the top and bottom.

While the scones are baking, make the glaze.

Whisk the powdered sugar, buttermilk, orange zest and orange juice in a medium bowl.

You can add a bit more orange juice if you want the glaze to be thinner. Apply the glaze to the top of the scones when they are at least partially cooled. You can drizzle the glaze, brush it on with a pastry brush or even smooth it on with a small spoon or butter knife.

Scones can be frozen for up to 3 months. Simply defrost the baked scones, and then reheat in the oven at 350-400 degrees for about 10-15 minutes. You can also make them a day ahead of time and reheat them also so they are warm and taste just as fresh. Just look at the SCRUMPTIOUS texture of those scones! 

Orange Scones

 

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

40 mins

 

Author: Olga's Flavor Factory

Serves: 8 scones

Ingredients

Scones:

• 1 stick, 8 Tablespoons butter, frozen plus 2 more Tablespoons melted
• ½ cup whole milk
• ½ cup sour cream
• 2 Tablespoons orange juice
• zest of ½ - ¾ of an orange
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for work surface
• ½ cup sugar, plus 1-2 Tablespoons for sprinkling
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon table salt

Glaze:

• 1½ cups powdered sugar
• 1 Tablespoon buttermilk or milk
• 2-4 Tablespoons orange juice
• zest of ½ - ¼ of an orange

Instructions

Scones:

1. It’s very important that all the ingredients are very cold. Place your butter in the freezer a few hours or even the day before you make the scones.
2. Mix the dry ingredients, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt, and place them in the refrigerator or the freezer to cool down.
3. Mix the milk, sour cream, orange zest, orange juice and vanilla together in a medium bowl. Set this mixture aside in the refrigerator also.
4. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
5. When the flour has chilled for 15-30 minutes, grate the butter on a box grater into the bowl of dry ingredients, mixing the grated butter in the flour as you grate it. Work fast so that the butter doesn't start to melt. You should have separate curls of butter coated in flour.
6. Add the liquid ingredients. Mix with a rubber spatula quickly to combine, until the dough comes together.
7. On a well floured surface, knead the dough just enough so that it comes together.
8. Gently roll it out into a 12 inch square. Fold it like a business letter, into thirds, using a bench scraper to help you pick up the dough.
9. Place it on a floured plate and chill in the freezer for 5 minutes.
10. On the same well floured surface, roll it out into a 12 inch square again.
11. Using a bench scraper to help you, roll up the dough into a log. Press it into a 12 x 4 inch log.
12. Using the bench scraper or a sharp knife, cut the log in half and then each half diagonally into 4 triangles, to make 8 scones total.
13. Place the scones on the prepared baking sheet and brush the scones with the melted butter.
14. Bake for 18-25 minutes, until the scones are golden brown on the top and bottom.

Scones:

1. While the scones are baking, make the glaze.
2. Whisk the powdered sugar, buttermilk, orange zest and orange juice in a medium bowl. You can add a bit more orange juice if you want the glaze to be thinner.
3. Apply the glaze to the top of the scones when they are at least partially cooled. You can drizzle the glaze, brush it on with a pastry brush or even smooth it on with a small spoon or butter knife.

Notes

Scones can be frozen for up to 3 months. Simply defrost the baked scones, and then reheat in the oven at 350-400 degrees for about 10-15 minutes. You can also make them a day ahead of time and reheat them also so they are warm and taste just as fresh.

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