Cranberry Scones

These are the first scones I ever tried to bake. I don’t know why, but I was intimidated by the thought of baking scones. I had no reason to be: they turned out perfect and delicious.

It’s this wonderful combination of the sweet scone dough with the slightly sour cranberries that is just irresistible!

The cranberry, along with the blueberry and Concord grape, is one of North America's three native fruits that are commercially grown. Cranberries were first used by Native Americans, who discovered the wild berry's versatility as a food, fabric dye and healing agent.

The name "cranberry" derives from the Pilgrim name for the fruit, "craneberry", so called because the small, pink blossoms that appear in the spring resemble the head and bill of a Sandhill crane. European settlers adopted the Native American uses for the fruit and found the berry a valuable bartering tool. American whalers and mariners carried cranberries on their voyages to prevent scurvy, as the fruit is extremely high in Vitamin C. 

 Ingredients:

• 2/3 c buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• 3 c flour
• 4 tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ c (4 tablespoons) butter
• 1 c cranberries (if possible fresh, otherwise frozen)
• ½ c brown sugar
• some drops of orange extract
• 1 tbs. melted butter

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C)

Whisk together buttermilk and egg and set aside.

In a large bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the butter and rub it into the mixture with your fingers.

Fold in the cranberries, sugar and the orange extract and mix well. At last add the buttermilk/egg mixture and combine to soft dough.

Knead the dough on a floured board thoroughly and form it into a ball. Cut it into 8 pieces, form each one into a ball and place it on a cookie or baking sheet.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes until the scones are golden brown on the surface. Remove them and brush them with the tablespoon of butter.

Let them cool before serving.

Serve them as they are or with butter and honey.

Makes eight scones.