When I think about what I miss most from home (apart from friends and family), everything I can come up with belongs in my stomach. Roast beef and Yorkshire puddings. Bangers and mash with onion gravy. English cheddar and Branston Pickle sandwiches. Hobnobs. And real English scones with jam and Cornish clotted cream. English and American scones are very different beasts. If you don’t know the difference, English scones are round, plain, and served smothered in strawberry jam and cream. American scones are usually triangular and flavored with chocolate chips, berries, or anything else you feel like throwing into the mix. And there is no smothering with the American version. It has taken me a while, but after living in Los Angeles for 8 years, I have finally made peace with the American version of a scone. To celebrate this milestone, I decided to create a recipe for whole wheat cranberry orange scones.
These scones are made with whole wheat flour and only 1/3 cup sugar, making them far healthier than your average scone. They are tasty, light, and not too sweet, with a nice hint of orange. When they are fresh they are delicious unadulterated, and once they are a little stale they can be livened up with a touch of butter… and a proper cup of Earl grey tea, obviously.
- 2 cups (275g) whole wheat flour
- ⅓ cup (50g) sugar
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp orange zest
- ½ cup (1 stick or 115g) butter, cold
- 1 egg yolk (save egg white for glaze)
- ¾ cup plain yogurt
- ¼ cup milk
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and orange zest in a large bowl.
- Cut the butter into small chunks, add it to the dry ingredients, and cut it in with a pastry blender (or rub it in with your fingers until it resembles fine breadcrumbs).
- Whisk together the yogurt, milk, and egg yolk, and stir into the dry mixture until a dough forms.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface, and gently and quickly knead in the cranberries.
- Pat the dough into a flat disk about 2 inches thick and cut into wedges.
- Transfer the dough to a parchment-lined or lightly greased baking sheet.
- If you want crispier scones, separate the wedges a little. If you prefer them soft, leave them touching one another.
- Whisk the egg white and brush it over the tops of the scones.
- Sprinkle with 1 tsp brown sugar.
- Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, or until light golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
Did you know you can change the course of your health just by eating the right food? I am here to show you how you can eat simple healthy food without stress, guilt, or shame.
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