SMS - Orange-scented Scones

There's a first time for everything and this is officially my first late SMS post. So many things going on, including being sick, that I was going to pass on the scones. Really glad I didn't because they were great. Definitely worthy of making again and again. A big thanks for such a great pick by Robin of Lady Craddock's Bakery.


These scones were very easy to make, especially if you have a food processor. They are crispy on the outside, moist and tender on the inside. Since they're not very sweet, I liked eating them with jam, as suggested in the book. And for that, I made half a batch of Strawberry-kissed Plum Jam. Why strawberry-kissed? I used 2 lbs of plums (4 cups) and added a small handful of strawberries that I needed to use up. The jam was delicious; just the right combination of sweetness and tartness. This recipe was based on the Fruit Preserves recipe in the Sweet Melissa Baking Book.

Ready to go into the oven!

An inside look... I loved the tender crumb of these scones... no hockey pucks here!

Don't you love that color?

Bon appetit!

Final thoughts/tips:

• I used half an orange (whole) and pureed it in the food processor, the way we did a few weeks ago for the Whole Orange Poppy Seed Cake. I wish I had added some sugar to the orange when doing this, as the scones had a tiny bitterness to them. I decreased the amount of cream to 1/2 cup.
• When washing any citrus fruit for zesting, instead of using water alone or water and a sponge, try using some dish detergent to scrub of the wax. It works great. You can feel the difference; the fruit's surface will be much rougher.
  
• Instead of 6 scones, I shaped it into a long rectangle and cut it into 4 squares which I then cut in half, resulting in 8 scones.
• I sprinkled the scones with raw sugar prior to baking as I like that crunchy texture.
  
• Don't forget to check out the other SMS bakers.