I am a great fan of breakfast cooking and baking. Perhaps it is because my most abundant motivation occurs early in the day. There’s something very cozy about baking in a quiet kitchen very early in the morning: measuring, mixing, forming, and having the giddy pleasure of sliding a tray into the oven in one physical form and then sliding it out in a completely other physical form. There is always substantive anticipation – how will this rise, when do I get the perfect color and crumb? Then there are other sensory stimulation, such as fragrance. (Ok, it’s not intoxicating like brioche, but it’s still good.) Will these actually wake anyone else up?
I find experimenting with scones a never ending but pleasant challenge. There are enough scone recipes to match any number of days – different formulas – to use eggs or not, heavy cream or not, buttermilk or not, and the ingredient list, formula and flavor combinations can go on forever. But, bottom-line for me, a scone is all about perfect texture. Flavor is important too, but the same flavors can be found in muffins, cakes and other creations. What differentiates this morsel is the texture, pure and simple. For me a great scone is something to savor, quietly with the newspaper and a great cup of tea or coffee. This may be “fast food” from a baker’s perspective, but it’s not to be treated as “fast food” from the eater’s perspective.
I have had a lot of bad scones. Assuming one has a good recipe, the biggest culprit is humidity – this being true for most baked goods. If a scone is not light and crumbly, on the drier side of the baked range, with good color and crust, well then, I don’t want it. And, typically, I prefer mine with no glaze on top. A great scone should stand well alone. I am generally a purist in this regard. Often I work with whatever fruits I have left in the house, since I tend to be inspired early in the morning when the stores are still closed. My kids prefer Raspberry-Orange but I tire of making the same ones over and over – why do so when there are so many flavor combinations to try? I am a great fan of savory scones, too – my favorite being my own Fontina-Chive Scones with Pancetta and Apricot Preserves. (This is probably my one exception for “scones stand alone” but a story for another day). This week though, it was Orange-Apricot. As I mentioned the other day, they were very good. So, the challenge goes on – I am mainly looking for consistency, with great loft, great crumb texture, and color. From there I can go on forever…… Scones are great at any time of day but I think they are best fresh-baked. So, if you are having them for afternoon tea, or with a luncheon or dinner, bake them just before.
Recipe for Orange-Apricot Scones – Adapted from Jocelyn’s Orange-Currant Scones in Morning Food by Margaret S. Fox
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour (you may need to adjust the amount of flour slightly to result in a not-to-sticky dough, but one which holds together)
4 tablespoons plus one teaspoon granulated sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 large eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
grated zest of 1 1/2 oranges
1/2 teaspoon orange extract
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped, optional
Preheat oven to 425F. In a small bowl, work orange zest into sugar with your fingers, releasing the oils. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add in the sugar mixture and blend. Work the butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter or your fingers until the butter resembles small peas – do this quickly and try not to warm the butter. In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs, cream and orange extract. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour in most of the wet ingredients, holding back about 1/4 of the total until you see the developing consistency of the dough. Working quickly and with a light hand, work the dry ingredients into the wet as you would if you were making pasta. As the dough begins to come together add in the remaining wet ingredients if needed to form a cohesive dough – it should not be too wet – more on the crumbly side. Do not overwork the dough. Gently add in the apricots and the pecans, if using. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times. Pat the dough into a disk about 8″ in diameter and 1 1/2 inches thick. Remove to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cut into 8 wedges with a dough cutter. Separate the wedges slightly. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle lightly with sugar. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown, dry on top and sides. Serve immediately for best results. Yield 8 scones. Can be doubled.
Try these and let me know what you think! I love orange with dark chocolate, so try this, too!
Coming soon – my favorite Crabmeat Frittata
Field Trip today! Will report back soon!