TWD: Buttermilk Scones with Blueberry Compote

I love scones!  Lightly sweet, crispy top, the perfect vehicle for fruity toppings......excellent!

Today's Tuesdays With Dorie recipe is Buttermilk scones, from contributor Marion Cunningham.  We've made a few other recipes from Marion, including Irish Soda Bread and Popovers.  I've loved all of her recipes!

This one is no exception.   I love making scones, so I was glad to try another recipe!

These Buttermilk Scones are simple and lovely.   There are only 8 simple pantry and fridge ingredients, making this recipe a cinch to pull together.  Scones are perfect for breakfast or brunch.  My family, however, would agree that a warm scone can be eaten any time of the day!

What is most interesting to me about Marion's recipe is the variation on forming them.   The traditional way of forming scones is patting the dough into a disc, cutting it into wedges, then baking.

The result is a healthy-portioned scone with crispy edges and soft interior.  The top is lightly crunchy from the sugar and butter that is baked on, and the scone itself is lightly sweet with a hint of citrus from the orange zest.

I made a delicious blueberry compote with the juice of the oranges and some sugar.  The pairing was divine!

The second method of forming the scones is by rolling the dough, similar to making cinnamon rolls.   I sprinkled some dried cranberries on the dough before rolling up.  The sweet and tart cranberries were yummy within the scones.   The texture of these were more crispy along the edges, but mmmmm, so good.

Here's the recipe!   Give it a try and get creative with fruit toppings or fillings.

 

Buttermilk Scones

~Marion Cunningham~

 

3 cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

2 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 sticks (6 oz) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 cup (approximately) buttermilk

1 tablespoon grated orange or lemon zest

 

1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted, for brushing

1/4 cup sugar, for dusting

 

4 tablespoons jam or jelly and/or 4 tablespoons diced or small plump dried fruits, such as currants, raisins, apricots, or figs, for filling (optional)

 

 

Position the oven racks to divide the oven evenly into thirds and preheat the oven to 425.

 

In a medium bowl, stir the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together with a fork.  Add the cold butter pieces and, using your fingertips (the first choice), a pastry blender, or two knives, work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.  It's okay if some largish pieces of butter remain---they'll add to the scones' flakiness.

 

Pour in 1 cup buttermilk, toss in the zest, and mix with the fork only until the ingredients are just moistened--you'll have a soft dough with a rough look.   (If the dough looks dry, add another tablespoon of buttermilk.)   Gather the dough into a ball, pressing it gently so that it holds together, turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface, and knead it very briefly--a dozen turns should do it.  Cut the dough in half.

 

To make triangular-shaped scones, roll one piece of the dough into a 1/2 inch thick circle that is about 7 inches across.  Brush the dough with half of the melted butter, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the sugar, and cut the circle into 6 triangles.  Place the scones on an ungreased baking sheet and set asie while you roll out the rest of the dough.

 

To make rolled scones, roll one piece into a strip that is 12 inches long and 1/2 inch thick.  Spread the strip with half of the melted butter and dust with half of the sugar.  If you want to spread the roll with jam and/or sprinkle with dried fruits, now's the time to do so;  leave a narrow border on a long edge bare.  Roll the strip from a long size like a jelly roll;  pinch the seam closed and turn the roll seam side down.  Cut the roll in half and cut each piece into six 1-inch wide roll-ups.  Place the rolled scones cut side down on an ungreased baking sheet, leaving a little space between each one.  Repeat with the remaining dough.

 

Bake the scones for 10 to 12 minutes, until both the tops and the bottoms are golden.  Transfer the scones to a rack to cool slightly.  These are best served warm but are just fine at room temperature.

 

If you're not going to eat the scones the day they are made, wrap them airtight and freeze;   they'll stay fresh for a month.   To serve, defrost the scones at room temperature in their wrappers, then unwrap and reheat on a baking sheet for 5 minutes in a 350 degree oven.



Blueberry Compote

3 cups frozen blueberries
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 cup sugar

In a medium saucepan, stir together blueberries, orange juice, and sugar.  Over medium-low heat, bring the berries to a simmer, then reduce heat, stir occasionally, and cook for about 10 minutes until the berries have burst and the syrup coats a spoon.  Serve warm