#BakingBloggers ~ Cran-Cherry Orange Scones

Are you a blogger who would like to join in the Baking fun? Request to join our Facebook Group, or contact Sue from Palatable Pastime, we post monthly on the second Monday. For March we're sharing scones - sweet or savory! The options are really endless when it comes to scones.

I have several recipes on the blog already, this is a fun weekend baking project - I've made Pumpkin Scones, Banana Scones, Basic British Scones, Simple Scones, and World's Best Scones. I decided I needed to try something with a fun flavor profile since I have several basic ones already on the blog - plus when I came across the combination of Apricot and Orange I needed to look no further for inspiration - but then I looked in my pantry and decided to use the dried fruits I had because Cranberry and Cherry with the Orange also sounded wonderful!

I really, really loved these scones. They reminded me of "coffee house" style scones. Fluffy, cake like, lightly sweetened, chock full of chewy fruit, with a lovely glaze to complement. The dough on this scone recipe was fairly wet; just add enough flour to your counter to prevent sticking, and a little more on top as you're patting out the round, but allow the dough to be soft.

I floured a flexible cutting board, and shaped my disc there, then flipped that over atop the silpat on the baking sheet; it seemed like the easiest way to manipulate the disc! I scored the dough once it was on the lined baking sheet.

Look at all these beautiful scone recipes to inspire your baking this month!

Baking Bloggers

March 2020: Scones

• Baileys Irish Cream Almond Scones from Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Basic Tea Time Scones from Sid's Sea Palm Cooking
• Coconut Mango Scones from Caroline's Cooking
• Cran-Cherry Orange Scones from Making Miracles
• Irish Cream Scones from Tara's Multicultural Table
• Lemonade Scones from Sneha's Recipe
• Oatmeal Currant Scones from Palatable Pastime
• Orange and Cranberry Scones from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Savory Cheesy Chive Scones from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Savory Mediterranean Scones from Food Lust People Love
• Sourdough Mango Scones from A Day in the Life on the Farm

Cran-Cherry Orange Orange Scones adapted from Land O Lakes

Ingredients
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup finely chopped dried cherries
1/2 cup finely chopped dried cranberries
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp dried grated orange zest
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cold butter
1/4 cup sour cream
1 large egg, slightly beaten
3 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon almond extract
Additional flour for dusting scones to prevent sticking

Glaze
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
2 to 3 teaspoons orange juice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine the flour, dried fruit, sugar, zest, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Use a pastry cutter to blend the cold butter into the flour mixture, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the sour cream, beaten egg, orange juice, and almond extract. Mix together with a fork until dough comes together. Use a spatula to ensure all flour is mixed in and ingredients are evenly combined.
4. Generously flour the counter (or a flexible cutting board), and scrape out the dough. Lightly flour the top of the dough as well and gently pat it out into a round disc about 7-inches across. Score into 6 wedges. 
5. Place on a silpat lined baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 18-25 minutes, until lightly browned on the bottom and cooked through.
6. Cool 10 minutes before preparing the glaze.
7. In a small bowl, whisk together the glaze ingredients, adding just enough orange juice for a thick, spreadable glaze.
8. Pour / spread glaze over the tops of the scones. Serve warm, or store in an airtight container for up to 3-days.