Orange Tea Scones



 



Orange Tea Scones

These scones have become a Christmas morning tradition at my house, along with serving them with our bone china tea set, but I don't limit them to this day...they are so good. Here is the recipe:

4 1/2 cups of all purpose flour

3 teaspoons of baking powder

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1/2 teaspoon of salt

3 tablespoons of sugar

zest of 2 oranges
2 sticks of butter, cut into small pieces
1 1/2 cup of liquid: cream and juice of 2 oranges

Icing:

2 Tablespoons of butter

juice of 1/2 of an orange

1 teaspoon of orange extract

powdered sugar--enough to form a thick icing

 

Preheat the oven to 375

1. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl

2. Zest the two oranges into the dry ingredients

3. Cut the butter into the mixture with a pastry blender

4. Juice the oranges into a measuring cup and then add the cream to measure 1 1/2 cups

5. Mix lightly with wooden spoon and then fingers until dough holds together. I like a moist scone, and hense a moist dough, but workable, so add more liquid if necessary.

6. Roll the dough out until 1/2 inch thick and using a biscuit cutter, cut the dough into a circle and then cut these circles in half using a serated knife. Place on cookie sheet.
7. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes until golden brown
8. Ice right out of the oven. For icing, place the butter, zest of one orange and juice of half of orange in a large glass dish and microwave until butter melts. Add enough powdered sugar until desired consistancy, beating with a fork.