These scones have been part of our high teas and Christmases for almost twenty years. Of all the things we bake, they remain the most often requested, which made them a particularly fitting recipe for the first installment of Gourmet for the Gourmand.
And, of course, we wanted to begin with something lovely to have with tea.
We originally discovered it online, but in the years that followed that original recipe has since disappeared. Over the years, we have adjusted the ingredients, amounts, and baking time until the recipe became our own. We usually make ours with chocolate chips. And they are particularly lovely with raspberry preserves and clotted cream.
Fresh-squeezed orange juice is the unusual addition. The scones themselves are tender, doughy, and satisfyingly substantial. We like them thick, whether cut small for a dainty afternoon tea or rather larger when we are feeling a tad gluttonous.
For something so frequently requested, they require remarkably little effort. We routinely double the recipe as a single batch never seems to be quite enough.
GOURMET FOR THE GOURMAND
English Royalty Scones
Chocolate chips, fresh orange juice, and almost twenty years at our table.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oven to 400°F. We use an ungreased stainless steel baking sheet.
- Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Stir in the chocolate chips, then add the orange juice, using enough to bring the dough together. If you need a little more, use a little more; just don’t make the dough too wet or sticky.
- Turn onto a floured surface and gently bring together. Keep the dough thick rather than rolling or pressing it thin.
- Cut to your preferred size. We use a drinking glass, dipping its rim in flour before each cut; a biscuit cutter works just as well.
- Transfer to the baking sheet and bake for about 12 minutes. Larger or thicker scones may need a few additional minutes. These remain pale: look for hints of browning around the edges and any small peaks rather than waiting for the whole scone to turn golden.
Serve warm with raspberry preserves, clotted cream, and a pot of Earl Grey or Lady Grey.
