Cranberry Scones

     This Cranberry Scone recipe comes via Peter Ireland, former chef and owner of The Lynn on Bryant in Minneapolis, which unfortunately, closed last year.  I'm always sad to see a place like this go.  On one visit to The Lynn, I had the most delicious Potato and Mushroom Double-Crust Torte.  It was so good that I rushed home and started recreating the filled pastry just the way I remembered it.  My individual tortes were full of creamy buttermilk mashed potatoes, sherried mushrooms and shallots with fresh thyme, in addition to a layer of goat cheese.  Of course, the tortes were wrapped in a buttery pastry... recipe HERE.  Truly swoon worthy!

     So when I found the recipe for Cranberry Scones that Peter Ireland also developed for The Lynn, I knew I had to try them.  The dough has lots of butter to thank for its flakiness and the cranberries owe their moist sweetness to the warm simple syrup they soak in for ten minutes.

     I think the only thing I will do differently the next time I make them, is to press sliced almonds onto the tops of the scones before baking.  I like that added crispness and the almond flavor pairs so well with the cranberries.

+ adapted recipe

Yield:  8 scones

• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, divided
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• Finely grated zest of 1/2 medium orange
• 3 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 13 tablespoons (1 stick plus 5 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 1 cup (well shaken) buttermilk
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
1.  Preheat oven to 350˚F.  In a small saucepan set over medium-high heat, add the water and ½ cup of the sugar and bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. In a medium bowl, add the cranberries. Pour the hot sugar-water mixture over the cranberries and soak for 10 minutes. Strain the cranberries through a fine-mesh sieve, saving the simple syrup for another use (possibly in a cocktail?). Transfer the strained cranberries to a small bowl. Stir in the orange zest.
2.  In the bowl of a food processor, add the flour, 1/2 cup of the sugar, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Pulse 2 or 3 times to combine.  Add the butter to the mixture, then pulse again in short bursts until the pieces are no larger than a small pea.  Transfer the flour mixture to a large mixing bowl.  Pour in the buttermilk and use a rubber spatula to fold the mixture together until just incorporated and there are no more dry spots in the dough. Lightly flour a work surface and turn the scone dough out onto the work surface. Use your hands to gently mix in the plumped cranberries and form the dough into a 2-inch-thick disk. Use a knife or pastry cutter to cut the dough into 8 equal triangles.
3. Use a pastry brush to lightly coat the scones with the heavy cream and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar. Transfer the scones to a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet and bake until the scones are golden and cooked through, approximately 25 minutes.

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