Queen Elizabeth II tea scones
3 Cups all purpose flour
1/3 Cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 ½ teaspoons (double acting) baking powder
½ teaspoon salt *
1½ sticks ( ¾ Cup) salted butter softened
¾ Cup buttermilk
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 Cup cranberries
3 teaspoons (your choice) of loose Orange and Spice Tea
½ Cup water
Tea Ball Teapot With Removable Tea Basket
2 teaspoons of Orange Peel
Orange Spice Glaze
½ Cup confectioners sugar
1½ Tablespoons orange juice concentrate
1 Tablespoon (reserved) orange tea
Place the 3 teaspoons of loose Orange and Spice Tea in the tea basket of the Tea Ball Teapot. Boil water in a teapot and pour ½ cup of hot water over the tea, placing the teabasket on the bottom of the pot, so the tea can soak. Let it steep for 5 minutes. Remove tea basket, gently squeezing the liquid out, discard loose tea. Take 1 Tablespoon of tea and add to a small bowl. This will be added to your glaze. Add to the remaining tea liquid 2 teaspoons of orange peel and let the tea cool, while the peel softens.
Preheat oven to 425°.
Make the Orange Glaze before making the dough up. Add the orange juice concentrate and the powdered sugar to the (1 tablespoon, reserved) tea. Mix well and put to the side. This glaze will be somewhat thick, but it will stay on the scones better.
Combine dry ingredients together, add butter, tea, buttermilk, vanilla and mix until all the dry ingredients are wet. Add cranberries and mix well.
Turn dough onto a lightly floured, clean surface and pat the dough into a circle of about 12½ by 12½. Cut the dough into 4 (vertical) sections. Then cut each section into 5 or 6 triangles. Bake on a lightly greased cookie sheet for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer scones to a wire rack to cool.
Once scones are cooled, place scones on a clean baking sheet or parchment paper. Stir the Orange Glaze and brush glaze on each of the scones, coating the tops.
Serve, store or freeze. You can make these scones up a day ahead, since they taste even better the next day. The glaze won’t melt off when reheated. Makes 2 dozen.
Serve them as is or with this Orange Marmalade Butter!
½ Cup very soft butter
2 Tablespoons Orange Marmalade
Mix together and serve.
* if using kosher salt, increase to ¾ teaspoon and use unsalted butter
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