It’s that time of year again: the dreaded Valentine’s Day looms, like a visit to the DMV or a root canal, just around the corner. It was quite ingenious, I will admit, to invent a holiday that irritates everyone: single, married, or dating, there is just no getting away from V-day. So, what’s a girl to do? I don’t really know, other than avoiding going out to dinner (it’s got to be the worst night of the year for a restaurant dinner), banning roses from the house (I’m more of a tulip girl anyway), and reminding my fiancé that if he doesn’t at least acknowledge the stupid day with a card, there will be consequences. Dire ones.

But, in addition to all that, I’ll likely make these scones. Cranberry-orange is one of Tai’s favorites, and the cranberries give it that touch of red seemingly so necessary to the V-day experience. This Valentine’s Day, why not make scones: for your significant other, or just for yourself!

Cranberry-Orange Scones

Adapted from Bon Appetit, November 1998.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 and 1/2 cups (7 oz) whole white wheat flour
• 1 and 1/2 cups (6 oz) whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/3 cup (2 and 1/2 oz) raw sugar, plus extra for sprinkling (organic turbinado)
• zest from 1 medium orange
• 6 oz (3/4 cup) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 generous cup cranberries, chopped (fresh or frozen)
• 2 tbsp freshly-squeezed orange juice (from about 1/2 of a medium orange)
• 3/4 cup chilled cream, milk or buttermilk, plus extra for glazing

METHODS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (375 F convection).
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flours, sugar, baking powder and salt. Whisk in orange zest. Add butter and rub between your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix in cranberries. Add orange juice, then gradually add cream, tossing with a fork until moist clumps form. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface.
3. Knead briefly to bind the dough: about 2 – 3 turns should be enough. Adjust flour or liquid as needed to form a tacky, but workable dough. Split the dough in half; form each portion into a round about 1 and 1/2 inches high. With a sharp knife or dough scraper, cut the round into 8 pie pieces. Transfer wedges to a parchment or Silpat-lined baking sheet.
4. Using a pastry brush, glaze the tops of each wedge lightly with cream, then sprinkle on some sugar. Bake in the preheated oven until edges are golden brown and tops are firm to the touch, about 20 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

Yields 16 small scones or 8 large ones.

OPTIONS

1. I like my scones small: less than half the size of those monsters you can find at Starbuck’s. For a larger scone, do not separate the dough in half, simply form the round and slice into 8 pieces.
2. This is a good, basic scone recipe: the 1 cup of cranberries can be replaced with a variety of fresh fruits (cherries, blueberries, raspberries) or dried (cranberries, cherries, etc.)

STORE

At room temperature, wrapped in a clean kitchen towel, for 2 to 3 days. Scones will tend to get soggy stored in the refrigerator. These freeze quite well and will last in the freezer up to 6 months.  Defrost for 30 seconds in the microwave or for 2-3 minutes in a toaster oven.

SEASON

Winter.