Twilight. Need I say more? If that reference means nothing to you, then you probably don’t have a teenage daughter in your life. For weeks my oldest has been talking about the release of the Twilight movie based on the series by Stephenie Meyer. We read the books together over the summer, and I can easily see why a 14-year-old would be so excited. I even gave her permission to go to the midnight showing with friends on a school night — for a few glorious days I was “awesome Mom.” Then reality set in: after some poor choices on her part, I had to take that privilege away and I slid right back into the “horrible, mean, unfair, and stupid Mom” category.
I know they won’t believe it, but I truly hate having to be the strict one. I’d much rather stay in the “awesome Mom” lane, but being indulgent doesn’t always equate to being responsible. It breaks my heart when discipline is necessary, though my kids are convinced their dad and I sit up at night plotting to make their lives miserable and worse than all their friends’.
As a small peace offering — a nonverbal way to say “I’m sorry you can’t go, but you left me no choice” — I made these scones for her this morning. She’s been asking for them for a long time, so the timing felt right. They turned out heavenly: large, tender, sweet with a touch of tartness, and utterly indulgent. These will definitely become a repeat in the Jones kitchen. I’ve already been brainstorming variations all morning: cinnamon sugar, chocolate chip, raisin, apple, pecan, almond, raspberry, lemon… I loved the orange and craisins together, though next time I might try chopped fresh cranberries. Tell me what flavor combinations you try!
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Orange Cranberry Scones
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Yield:12 large scones 1x
Ingredients
1 C sour cream (I used light)
1 tsp baking soda
4 C flour
1 C sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp salt
1 C butter
1 egg, beaten
1 C craisins
zest of large orange
Icing
juice from 1/2 large orange
powdered sugar
dash of salt
Instructions
1. In a small bowl, combine the sour cream and baking soda. Set aside and allow it to bubble up.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a large baking sheet.
3. In a large bowl or food processor, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cream of tartar, orange zest, and salt. Cut in the butter until the pieces are about the size of peas. Stir in the craisins, sour cream mixture, and beaten egg. Mix just until the dough is moistened. (I had to turn mine out onto the counter and knead lightly to form a ball.)
4. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly. Roll the dough into a 3/4″ round. Cut into 12 wedges and place them about 2″ apart on the baking sheet. (These make large scones. Next time I’ll cut them smaller to yield 18–24. They spread, so don’t crowd the pan — make two batches if needed.)
5. Bake about 15 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the tops are set. Cool completely, then drizzle with icing.
