Orange and Poppy Seed Cream Scones
I’m a little late, but happy New Year! I lost my car keys on January 1st and they turned out to be in my mums bag, OF ALL PLACES.
I mean, who puts their keys in their mum’s bag at 4am on New Years Eve and then forgets? WHO? That’s not important, what happened before that incident was important. It involved flour and cream, additional flavours and the Kenwood KM330.
I mean, who puts their keys in their mum’s bag at 4am on New Years Eve and then forgets? WHO? That’s not important, what happened before that incident was important. It involved flour and cream, additional flavours and the Kenwood KM330.
So, lets kick off the year with scones, and not the kind that leave the roof of your mouth feeling scone-like. You know what I’m talking about, right - that seriously weird texture you get in your mouth after having a store bought scone? It’s the blindingly obvious indication that your scones weren’t really homemade from that seriously cute teahouse.
Oh, the lies.
Scones were the first things I made in Food Technology (home ec) way back at the wee age of 11. I guess, the main reason why we made them had a lot to do with how darn easy they are to rustle up. Not to mention how delicious they are in that fattening and comforting kind of way.
Oh, the lies.
Scones were the first things I made in Food Technology (home ec) way back at the wee age of 11. I guess, the main reason why we made them had a lot to do with how darn easy they are to rustle up. Not to mention how delicious they are in that fattening and comforting kind of way.
From 2004 to 2013, scones involved cold butter, a knife and a tiny bit of elbow grease (by that I mean having floury hands and cutting shapes). In 2014, thanks to the Kenwood dough hook and the realization that you can produce a softer crumb with full fat cream instead of butter, the making of scones involves the flick of a button. Aaaaand the cutting of shapes that begged to be triangles but sadly, clearly, aren’t.
The trick is to let the dough hook run for half a second, until everything is just combined, because this is not breakfast brioche, but breakfast scones, studded with crunchy little poppy seeds and the faintest flavour of orange. You hardly know its there, but when you notice it; you’ll thank me for passively making you put it there.
If you don’t have a mixer, it should be your new years resolution to purchase one. But if you’re not buying it (geddit?), these beauts are made just as well by hand. Just pour your dry ingredients onto a surface, make a well, pour, knead and cut.
The trick is to let the dough hook run for half a second, until everything is just combined, because this is not breakfast brioche, but breakfast scones, studded with crunchy little poppy seeds and the faintest flavour of orange. You hardly know its there, but when you notice it; you’ll thank me for passively making you put it there.
If you don’t have a mixer, it should be your new years resolution to purchase one. But if you’re not buying it (geddit?), these beauts are made just as well by hand. Just pour your dry ingredients onto a surface, make a well, pour, knead and cut.
Orange and Poppy Seed Cream Scones
2 cups plain flour
1/4 cup Demerara sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
3 tbsp poppy seeds
zest and juice of 1 orange
1 1/4 cup double cream extra for brushing scones
Note: The orange flavour in the scones made from this recipe is ever so subtle. If you're keen on your oranges, its best to add the juice and zest of an extra orange. Just sub 2 tbsp of cream for the extra orange
juice.
Method
Line a baking tray with 2 layers of parchment paper. Add all of the dry ingredients, including the orange zest, into the bowl of a freestanding mixer fitted with the dough hook (or a normal bowl). Turn the mixer on low until everything looks evenly combined. Make a well in the centre of the bowl and pour in the cream and orange juice. Mix on medium until a dough is formed, about half a minute. The mixture will be sticky but don't worry! Flour a work surface and knead into a bowl. Squash the ball with your hands to form an 8.5 inch round. Use a bench scraper to cut 8 (or 12) wedges. Place on the baking tray and leave to rest for 40 minutes. Brush each one with the leftover cream. Preheat the oven to 220 C and bake for 15 minutes.
Thank you to anyone who visited this mbakes in 2013. I hope you will come back this year, even if it’s just to laugh at my awfully composed and blurry pictures, thank you! Do you have any new years resolutions?
Love Em xx
Love Em xx
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