Intimidated by homemade scones? Don’t be! They are nothing more than a biscuit that made it out the door with lipstick and heels on! Read: a fancy biscuit.
The great thing about these is that you can add whatever flavors you like. Chopped chocolate: you bet, cherries: why not, and cheese and chives: it’s a no-brainer. I used Cara Cara oranges here—which is the Navel’s more sassy/tart sister, and their juice is a little more pink in color, and fresh blueberries.
You can also make them as big or as small as you want! Baby blueberry scones would be perfect for a baby shower, and easier to fit on a cocktail plate.
This recipe allows the use of a stand mixer. If Queen Ina says you can use a stand mixer to make scones, who am I to argue with her? Don’t forget that unlike a biscuit, scones are vain and they want to shine! So the egg wash before baking is essential!
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Take 1 Cara Cara orange and zest 2 teaspoons worth. Then, juice 4 tablespoons worth of liquid from the orange. For me, this took both halves.
3. Measure out 1 cup of blueberries and place them in a colander.
Tip: Take a spoonful of flour and toss with blueberries; this will keep them from falling to the bottom of the mixing bowl and the baking container, too!
4. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, put in 4 cups of all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons of baking powder and 2 teaspoons of salt (this seems like a small amount but you're using salted butter) and mix together on the lowest speed.
5. Once combined, take 3 sticks of cold, salted butter and cut into 1/2 in. pieces. With the mixer still on the stir setting, add the butter to the flour mixture.
6. Let butter break down evenly into flour mixture, into pea sized pieces and the flour should look crumbly.
7. In a 2 cup measuring cup, pour in 1 cup of heavy cream (I never said these were low fat) and add in 4 beaten eggs (extra large), and the orange zest and juice.
8. Add blueberries into flour and then add egg/cream mixture, with the mixer still on the stir speed. Mix to barely combine, mixture should pull away from the sides and wrap around the paddle. There will still be flour in the bottom of the bowl but the egg mixture will be absorbed fully.
9. Take dough and turn it out to a lightly floured surface and knead a few times (don’t forget to flour your hands!) and knead enough to where the dough is no longer sticky.
10. Flour a rolling pin and roll out dough to 1 inch thick.
11. Take a 2 inch biscuit cutter, dip it in flour, and punch out 6 scones.
12. Combine scraps, re-knead and roll out to 1 inch.
13. Punch out 6 scones.
14. Repeat process and punch out as many as can fit on scraps.
15. Place on 2 parchment-lined baking sheets.
16. Combine one egg and a splash of water and brush tops of scones with egg wash. Sprinkle tops with sugar.
17. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
18. Enjoy!
