This is a light and bright twist on the traditional afternoon tea scone. Using orange juice and orange zest in the scone mix adds a delicious citrus flavour to complement the sweet raisins. The scones are mixed in a food processor, which makes them very quick and easy to prepare – just ensure you don’t overmix the ingredients.
Orange and raisin scones
Makes: 10 scones
Ingredients
450g self-raising flour
50g caster sugar
80g cold salted butter, diced
2 tsp grated orange zest
200ml cold milk
50ml orange juice
150g raisins
Serving suggestion:
Orange marmalade and whipped cream
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200C and line a tray with baking paper.
- Put the flour and sugar in a food processor fitted with a plastic blade and pulse briefly to mix.
- Add the butter and orange zest and process until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Add the raisins and pulse briefly to distribute them through the scone mixture.
- Combine the orange juice and milk in a jug and, with the engine running, pour into the food processor. Only process just as long as it takes to bring the mixture together; you don’t want to overwork it.
- Tip out onto a floured surface, knead very lightly, and pat out to about 1.5cm thick.
- Use a floured 6cm round cutter to stamp out circles. Try not to twist the cutter, as this can make the scones rise unevenly.
- Place the discs of scone dough on the prepared tray and press the remaining dough together to cut out more scones.
- Brush the scones with a little extra milk and bake for 10-12 minutes until well-risen and golden.
- Allow the scone to cool on the tray, then split and serve with orange marmalade and softly whipped cream.