Collin's Cranberry Scones
Again, this is not my recipe. I only put my name in the title to make it easy to find. It is from the milkcalendar.ca site. If these are the ones that Susan made for me, they are INCREDIBLE. I will divy out the ingredients later...
Again, this is not my recipe. I only put my name in the title to make it easy to find. It is from the milkcalendar.ca site. If these are the ones that Susan made for me, they are INCREDIBLE. I will divy out the ingredients later...
- 2 teaspoons milk
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- topping:
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup milk
- 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cold butter cut into cubes
- 1 cup cranberries fresh, or frozen cut in half if large
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- Carbohydrate 39.8917908439437 g
- Cholesterol 35.2780833333333 mg
- Fat 13.4579856937653 g
- Fiber 1.20869631284197 g
- Protein 3.57498027458749 g
- Saturated Fat 8.38528252290846 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (90g)
- Sodium 610.981301585916 mg
- Sugar 38.6830945311017 g
- Trans Fat 1.01064961604462 g
- Calories 290 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line 1 or 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In glass measuring cup or a bowl, stir lemon juice into milk; set aside. In a large bowl, combine 2-3/4 cups (675 mL) flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using pastry blender or two knives, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Pour in milk mixture; stir with a fork until a soft, sticky dough forms.
- Turn out onto a floured surface and, with floured hands, gently knead in cranberries, trying to not crush them and adding more flour to prevent sticking as necessary, until dough comes together and cranberries are dispersed. Pat out to a 9-inch (23 cm) circle; cut into 12 wedges. Place on prepared baking sheet, at least 1-inch (2.5 cm) apart.
- Brush tops of scones with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 15 to 20 min, switching pans on racks halfway if using 2 sheets, or until puffed and golden. Let cool for at least 10 min before serving.
Cold butter does the heaviest mechanical lifting in this formulation by trapping pockets of water that vaporize during high-heat baking at 425 degrees Fahrenheit, creating steam pressure that forces the flour layers apart into flaky strata. Incorporating fresh or frozen cranberries introduces distinct moisture challenges into this delicate structural matrix, requiring specific handling to avoid soggy pockets. When fresh berries burst during the gentle kneading phase, their internal cellular water escapes into the surrounding dough, whereas frozen berries can release even more liquid if allowed to thaw completely before incorporation. Maintaining a cold dough temperature ensures the butter fat remains solid until it hits the hot oven surface.
- Cut cold butter into cubes and work them into the dry ingredients quickly using a pastry blender until the texture resembles coarse crumbs, ensuring the fat does not melt from hand warmth.
- Stir the fresh lemon juice into milk and let it sit for a few minutes to create an acidic dairy base that activates the baking soda chemical leavening reaction effectively.
- Keep cranberries frozen or crisp-cold when folding them into the flour mixture, gently distributing the fruit without crushing the cell walls to prevent excess bleeding of liquid into the dough.
- Pat the sticky dough into a precise 9-inch circle on a floured surface, spacing the twelve wedges at least one inch apart on parchment paper to allow proper hot air circulation during the fifteen to twenty minute bake time.
Swapping regular dairy milk for plant-based alternatives alters the protein and fat content, which directly impacts crust browning and interior tenderness. Allowing the baked wedges to rest for ten minutes post-oven stabilizes the internal crumb structure as residual starches finish setting.
