Christmas Calendar 2017 - Orange & Cranberry Scones

Afternoon tea without scones is like Christmas without gifts and presents (even though some would say, that Christmas without presents is possible).

I have never before tried to actually to keep kneading my scone dough, so this is an usual procedure for me, when trying out this recipe at the Christmas Afternoon Tea Course.

I will be using this scone recipe later on here in December for some other flavour combinations such a these pepper nut scones.

Orange & Cranberry Scones: 10-12 scones

• 350 g wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 85 g sugar 
• 85 g butter - diced into small pieces
• 1 organic orange - only the zest
• 30 dried cranberries - either whole or chopped
• 175 g plain yogurt - yogurt without addition of neither sugar or fruit
• egg wash
• 1-2 tablespoon demerara sugar

1. Heat the oven to 200'C.
2. Cover a baking tray with baking parchment. 
3. Mix the cranberries and orange zest together in a small mixing bowl together with 1 teaspoon flour to separate the zest from each other.
4. Mix the flour, baking powder and sugar together in a mixing bowl.
5. Add in the butter pieces, rub in the butter using only your fingers, until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
6. Add in the cranberries and orange zest.
7. Make a hole in the mixture, where the yogurt is pour into. Knead the scone dough together, until it is soft.
8. Roll out the scone dough in a thickness of 2 cm.
9. Cut out the scones from the dough using a cutter. Do not twist the cutter, while doing this.
10. Turn the scone up side down, when it is placed on the baking tray.
11. Let the scones raise for 15-30 minutes prior to baking.
12. Before making, brush the the top of the scones with egg wash (only the top, as this affect the raising of the scone during baking). Sprinkle with demerara sugar.
13. Bake the scones at 200'C for 15 minutes, until golden.
14. Cold down prior to serving.