Orange Cherry Scones
The sweet tang of Limoneira® oranges and rich red cherries add both flavor and texture to classic scones in our version of the tea time classic. The addition of Limoneira® orange also adds moisture to the mix, so you can forget any bad memories about overly dry pastries.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups cherries
- 2 cups flour
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup butter cold
- 1/2 cup Greek yogourt
- 1 Limoneira® orange zest & juice
- 1 egg separated
Instructions
Day Before
- Pit the cherries using a pitter, or simply cut in half around the pit, and pull the fruit off the center.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and arrange the cherry halves in a single layer on top.
- Set your oven to 150°F, or its lowest setting. If it won’t go lower than 200°F, you can prop the oven door open to reduce the temperature somewhat.
- Dry the cherries for about 3 hours. They should just start to pucker up.
Next Day
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Prepare two baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper.
- Measure the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt into a large bowl. Stir together to blend well.
- Add the orange zest and cherries, and blend well to distribute evenly.
- Cut the butter into small pieces, about a tablespoon size each.
- Using a knife, your fingers or a pastry cutter, blend the butter into the mixture. It should resemble a coarse meal.
- In a small bowl, beat the egg yolk lightly. Continue to stir as you add the Greek yogourt and orange juice.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and add the egg yolk mixture all at once.
- Stir with a fork to blend – note that the pastry will be relatively dry.
- Knead the dough on a floured surface until it becomes smooth and uniform in texture.
- Form it into rounds about 2-3 inches across.
- Arrange the scones on the baking sheets.
- Lightly beat the egg white, and brush onto the top of each scone.
- Bake for about 12 minutes, or until lightly browned.
- Cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Notes
Note: Our version uses fresh cherries, dried slightly in the oven. You can also use 1 cup of dried cherries. In that case, you’ll have to soak them in warm water for a few minutes before using so they plump up.
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