Marvelously flavored by dried apricots and fresh orange zest, these perfectly plump scones are bound to delight guests at a stylish summer fête.
Apricot-Orange Scones
Serves: 12
Ingredients
- 2 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour*
- 1⁄3 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, divided
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange zest
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1⁄2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 3⁄4 cup chopped dried apricots
- 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon cold heavy whipping cream, divided
- 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, 1⁄3 cup sugar, orange zest, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry blender or 2 forks, cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in dried apricots.
- In a small bowl, stir together 1 cup cream and vanilla extract. Add to flour mixture, stirring until a shaggy dough begins to form. Working gently, bring mixture together in bowl with hands until a dough forms. (If dough won’t come together, add more cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it does. Dough should be somewhat firm.)
- Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface, and knead gently until smooth by patting dough and folding it in half 4 to 5 times. Using a rolling pin, roll out dough to a 1-inch thickness. Using a 2-inch round cutter dipped in flour, cut as many scones as possible from dough without twisting cutter, rerolling scraps only once. Place scones, evenly spaced, on prepared baking sheet. Freeze for 10 minutes.
- Brush tops of scones with remaining 1 tablespoon cream, and sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.
- Bake until scones are light golden brown and a wooden pick inserted in the centers comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
