Cranberry-Orange Scones as Served at Tea by the Sea from Vicki Delany

In the Tea by the Sea mysteries, Lily Roberts bakes traditional English scones in her tea room.

Like Lily, I am not a fan of flavours or added ingredients in scones. A true teatime scone should be unadorned and ready for the addition of butter, jam, and clotted cream.  However, I will make the occasional exception and this recipe is one.  

The orange flavour is just enough that it works well with orange marmalade or maybe peach jam. 

Teatime scones are often prepared with raisins or currents (and Lily does make some like that), and the cranberries here make a nice replacement for those who don’t care for raisins.

 Cranberry-Orange Scones

 Ingredients

 2 cups all-purpose flour

½ cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon fresh orange zest

½ cup cold butter

½ cup dried cranberries

6 tablespoons milk

1 large egg

 

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and orange zest, whisking until incorporated. Cut butter into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add cranberries, stirring to combine.

In a small bowl, combine milk and beaten egg, stirring well. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until combined.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface, and knead gently a few times. Roll dough to a ¾-inch thickness. Using a 2½-inch round cutter, cut scones from dough and place on baking sheet.

Bake until edges are golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.

Enjoy scones the day of baking, or freeze.  These freeze well. Reheat frozen scones in a 350 degree oven for 12 - 15 minutes. 

Find more of Lily's teatime and B&B breakfast recipes in the Tea by the Sea series.  The third book, MURDER SPILLS THE TEA, will be released on July 26 by Kensington Publishing.