Fit for a Queen (or Domestic Goddess) Scones

I have been lucky enough to have friends from all corners of the world.  One of the many perks is to be able learn about other cultures and their regional food that I may never have been exposed to otherwise.  My friend from England would send me his mother and grandmother's recipes for his favorite British foods in exchange for the newest indie metal bands that I've found scouring the Internet (yes, I do realize that I look more like a librarian than a metal-head but I like being unpredictable) and I totally got the better end of that deal.  

My favorite recipe he sent was for Yorkshire Pudding (I will share that recipe another time)...it's like a cross between a science project and a magic act how a simple batter can inflate into little dough balloons, the fact that they are delish is a huge bonus.  My second favorite recipe is for scones.  True to my modus operandi I have tweaked it a bit and what I've come up with is a lighter scone that is melt in your mouth moist and not too overly sweet, a perfect bite to have with a cuppa Earl Grey.  It's one of the recipes that I have to hide a scone or two because they get snatched up super quick.   So without further ado, my scone recipe. 

Fit for a Queen Cranberry and Orange Scones

2 cups all purpose flour

3 TBSP sugar

1 TBSP baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

5 TBSP cold butter, cut into small cubes

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 tsp orange zest

1 cup plus 2 TBSP heavy cream, divided

2 TBSP decorative sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt and stir. 

Add cold cubed butter and using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until the flour looks like crumbly wet sand.  

Add the cream and vanilla and using a spatula, stir just until there are no puddles of cream.  Add the cranberries and zest, stirring just a few times until evenly distributed, taking care not to over-mix which will cause scones to be dense.  

Turn out into a lightly floured surface, knead five times then form into a one inch thick round.  Cut into wedges and transfer (using a super cute ghost spatula if you have one) onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.  

Using the 2 TBSPs of cream that you set aside, brush the tops of the scone wedges and sprinkle with decorative sugar, if using.  

Bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes until tops are lightly browned.  

A few wee tips...

* Allow to cool on wire cooling rack and put into an air tight container or zip top bag right away to prevent drying out. 

* The scones freeze well, so make a double recipe and double bag them to freeze, allow them to thaw on the counter and place in a 350 degree oven for just a couple minutes to warm up. 

* You can substitute the cranberries for just about any dried fruit.  I've had success with dried strawberries, blueberries, apricots, dates and figs. 

* Instead of the traditional wedges, use a biscuit cutter or cookie cutter, just don't over work the scraps to avoid dense scones.