Cranberry-Orange Sourdough Scones

Perfect for a lazy Sunday morning with hot coffee...mmmmmm. My husband said these beat Starbuck's scones hands down. I'll tell you, THAT made my head swell! Since happy sourdough starter gets used and increased at least once a week, it's a great way to keep that starter content without having to go through the extended process of making a crusty loaf.  



Cranberry-Orange Sourdough Scones

Ingredients:

2 1/2 c bread flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp grated orange rind (fresh or dried)

1/2 c sugar

6 Tbl cold butter

1 c dried cranberries

1 1/4 c sourdough starter

2 tbsp milk (if needed)
  coarse sugar, for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

1.Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2.Mix together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and orange rind in a mixing bowl. Cut in butter with a knife or pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the cranberries and sourdough starter and mix by hand to form a soft dough. Add milk, 1 Tbl at a time, as needed if dough is too dry.
3.Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it half. Pat each piece of dough into a 1/2-inch thick circle. Cut circle into 8 wedge-shaped pieces and place the scones on the prepared baking sheet 1 inch apart. Brush tops with milk and sprinkle with coarse sugar, if desired.
4.Bake until scones start to turn golden, 12 to 15 minutes.

Feel free to swap out flavorings: substitute 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice for the orange peel, swap out a different dried fruit for the cranberries (oooooh, how about dried cherries with cinnamon? Or dried apricots with a scant 1/2 tsp of nutmeg--a strong spice I find best to use in tiny amounts). What about chocolate chips? Or coconut? Chopped nuts? If you come up with a winning combination, I would love to hear it!