Recipe: Orange cherry white chocolate chip scones by Carilyn Eichin

“These are the best scones I’ve ever eaten; so flavorful and moist,” our recent guest proclaimed. I’ve been making these orange cherry white chocolate chip scones recently for our B Street House guests when we received this compliment. They are tender and crusty scones with just a hint of fruity sweetness. His comment made me think I should share the recipe.

Scones are some of my favorite breakfast “baked goods” items. Scones are liked by most people, and they seem a little exotic as compared to muffins or coffee cake, so they add to the general special feeling of staying at a bed and breakfast. Splurge with scones.

This flavor combination is hard to beat. As the dried cherries bake they plump up and take on a jammy texture. A touch of salt in the recipe helps counter the sweetness of the white chocolate chips. Fresh orange peel from an organic orange is the key to the right balance of orange to cherry and chips. Use a micro plane grater to get extra-fine orange peel.

Scones can be sweet or savory, rustic or free-form, or prepared in any number of pans or shapes. I call these rustic scones because a pan is not used to provide a uniform scone shape. Use an ice cream scoop with an automatic release and scoop out roughly equal portions of the batter onto a parchment paper prepared pan. A silpat (silicon baking pad) can be used instead of parchment paper. If you prefer eight large triangular shaped scones, then do not use a scoop and spread the dough onto a flat surface into a large round. Cut into eight wedged shaped pieces for a more traditional look.

Orange Cherry White Chocolate Chip Scones

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

3/4 cup sour cream

1 large egg

2 teaspoons freshly grated orange peel

1/2 cup chopped or whole dried tart cherries

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Put flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Add butter to mixture and cut in with pastry blender until it forms a crumbly mixture. Mix together the sour cream and egg, and add them to the flour mixture. Add orange peel, cherries and white chocolate chips and mix well. This makes a sticky, shaggy dough. Use an ice cream scoop to scoop out the batter onto a parchment lined baking sheet or a silpat lined baking sheet. Bake at 375 for 17 to 25 minutes. Cool. When cool, glaze with orange juice glaze, if desired. Let glaze dry and serve. Makes about 14 rustic scones. Bake 17 minutes at high elevation and check with a toothpick. Lower elevations take a few more minutes in baking time.

Optional Glaze:

1 cup confectioner’s sugar

3 to 4 teaspoons fresh orange juice

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated orange peel

They are easy to make at high elevation with no changes in the recipe ingredients. Keep the scones covered until ready to glaze and serve to keep in all the moisture.

Carolyn Eichin owns B Street House Bed and Breakfast in Virginia City.