(Inspired by “Cream,” p. 16, Cornfields to Codfish)
Making clotted cream from scratch is not an adventure that’s in my near future, especially since Devonshire clotted cream is readily available online and in specialty food stores.
As for scones, I tried this recipe years ago, and it was delicious. Made with cranberries, these scones have more flavor than the typically plain scones I’ve had with cream tea in England. This seems a fitting recipe to share since cranberries are a major crop in Massachusetts.
Regarding the buttermilk in this recipe, I never buy it. Since my elementary school friend gave me her recipe in school for Salad Oil Coffee Cake with the instruction to “make” buttermilk by adding 1 Tablespoon of white vinegar to a cup of milk, that’s the only “buttermilk” I’ve ever used.
Recipe for Cranberry Scones is reprinted with permission from Savor the Flavor of Oregon by Junior League of Eugene (Oregon) (Koke Printing Company, 1990).
Ingredients (Yield: 1 dozen)
1 c. cranberries, fresh or frozen
3 c. flour
½ c. sugar
1 T. baking powder
¼ t. salt
½ t. baking soda
¾ c. butter or margarine, softened
½ c. chopped pecans or walnuts
1 ½ t. grated orange rind
1 c. buttermilk
**
1 T. milk
1 T. sugar
¼ t. cinnamon
⅛ t. nutmeg
In a large bowl, blend flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Cut butter into flour mixture until it becomes a coarse crumb texture.
For this photo shoot, my local grocery store had neither fresh nor frozen cranberries, so I opted to make blueberry scones. With the switch to blueberries, I chose to substitute lemon peel for orange peel. Blueberries for cranberries was a successful swap! I made half the batch with pecans by sprinkling them on top of the rolled out dough and pushing them gently into the top.
Stir in cranberries, nuts, and orange rind. Add buttermilk and mix with a fork until moistened. Gather dough into a ball and place on a floured board. Roll or pat into a circle ¾-inch thick. Cut into 12 pie shaped pieces.
Place on a greased baking sheet 1 ½ inches apart. Brush tops of scones with milk and sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg mixture. Bake at 400 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes until lightly browned.
“It’s debatable which is spread first on the scone, the sweet strawberry jam or generously portioned clotted cream, but either way, a cream tea is the combination of sweet and rich atop a fresh scone and accompanied by English tea.” (p. 17, Cornfields to Codfish)