Lemon Cranberry Scones

The summer weather has been unbearably hot and I've been so reluctant to step out of the house lately. Since I've barely made any trips out, I was searching through my pantry cupboard to see what's left when I found a packet of dried cranberries which has been sitting in there for some time. I recalled buying these dried cranberries with the intentions to try out a cranberry chiffon cake recipe which I've been putting off. Yet, I just couldn't find any good timing for that since the hot weather has literally drained my energy for what I considered a "tedious" bake. Considering I wasn't in the mood for any outing and reckoning that I would be staying home during most of the days in the coming week, I thought I should bake something for my stay-home afternoon tea for the next couple of days.

Though I don't really remember having tried scones, let alone really tasty ones, I thought I would have a go at it after recalling the simple steps involved in the making process from an episode on the food channel. As usual, I did some online research and comparison before settling on this recipe. And the results of my experiment? Double thumbs up! ^_^ Feeling so happy with the discovery of another simple and easy recipe to share with all, especially beginner bakers. After the sampling session, one of my "taste judges" even remarked that I can forget about trying store-bought scones as I'll just be lowering my standards. *_*

Lemon Cranberry Scones

So what are you waiting for? Nothing beats experimenting and experiencing it yourself. Not a fan of cranberries? No worries, simply substitute with any other dried fruits, nuts or even chocolate chips!

I am sharing this post with the event, Little Thumbs Up (June 2014: Butter) organised by Bake For Happy Kids and My Little Favourite DIY hosted by Jozelyn of Spice Up My Kitchen.

I would also like to share this post with The Biscuit Barrel Challenge (June 2014: Summer) organised by Laura of I'd Much Rather Bake Than… because these lemon cranberry scones will be one of my good companions for my stay-home afternoon tea this summer.

I would also like to share this post with the summer event of Four Seasons Food (June 2014: The Colour Red) organised by Louisa of Eat Your Veg and Anneli of Delicieux hosted by Tina of The Spicy Pear.

Lemon Cranberry Scones

Recipe referenced and modified from: Epicurious

Ingredients Required

2 tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 1/4 cups dried cranberries
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 cup heavy cream

Optional
Icing Glaze

1 cup confectioners' (powdered sugar)
2 tablespoons milk

Bakeware Used

Large baking sheet lined with parchment paper

Preparation Steps

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a food processor (or using a hand pastry blender), pulse (mix) flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, lemon zest and butter until mixture resembles coarse meal and transfer to a large bowl.
3. Stir in dried cranberries and set aside.
4. In a small bowl, lightly beat egg and egg yolk. Stir in heavy cream until well combined. 
5. Add wet mixture to dry mixture and stir until just combined.
6. Turn dough onto a well-floured surface and pat into a 1-inch-thick round (about 8 inches in diameter) using floured hands.
7. Use a 2-inch round cutter dipped in flour and cut out dough into small rounds. Re-roll scraps and form them into rounds as necessary.
8. Lay cut out dough onto parchment paper and bake on the middle rack of the preheated oven for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until pale golden.
9. Transfer to wire rack to cool slightly and serve scones warm.
10. Optional: Drizzle icing glaze over the scones just before serving by whisking confectioners' sugar and milk together until pourable consistency.

The Dream Baker's Experiment

1. According to the source recipe, if using fresh cranberries (coarsely chopped), toss with 3 tablespoons of sugar before stirring into flour mixture (in Step 3).
2. I used egg and yolk from large egg that weighed approximately 59 grams each (with shell on).
3. I substituted heavy cream with a combined mixture of 1/3 cup of unsalted butter, melted, 3/4 cup of 2% reduced fat milk and 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour instead (simply because I ran out of heavy cream). Note: I've learnt that this substitution is good for any recipes that doesn't require the heavy cream to be whipped. If using full fat milk, omit the flour.
4. I cut the dough into oval of approximately 2.5-inch length and 1.5-inch width with 1-inch thick instead and baked them for 12 minutes only (varies across different ovens).

The texture of these scones are very light and fluffy. They are best eaten when slightly warm, and are just as soft and tasty when cooled to room temperature. To warm up the scones, simply microwave at high speed for 7 to 8 seconds.

I learned that the traditional English style of serving the scones is slicing through horizontally to split it and resting both halves on a plate with a dollop of cream and jam on the side. But my modern style of serving the scones is having it with a huge scoop of my favourite vanilla ice cream. ^_^

What's better for afternoon tea in a cosy couch with a plate of home-baked scone and ice cream along with a glass of your favourite ice cold tea beverage during this hot summer day? Enjoy!

Dare to dream.
The Dream Baker