These are perfect for Christmas morning breakfast. So simple to make but full of festive flavour. I like to serve slightly warm with cold butter and marmalade.
225g self-raising flour
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp christmas spice (mixed spice will work if you can't find christmas spice, I got mine in M&S)
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
A pinch of salt
50g unsalted butter, diced and chilled
Zest of a large orange
60g dried cranberries
60g dried apricots finely chopped
100g pecans finely chopped
30ml of freshly squeezed orange juice
70ml milk
1 beaten egg
1 tbsp sugar nibs (or a few crushed sugar cubes)
You will also need a baking sheet lined with baking parchment
Preheat the oven to 210ºC
Sift the flour, spice, cream of tartar, bicarbonate of soda and a pinch of salt into a large mixing bowl. Add the cold, diced butter and orange zest rub in using your fingers until the mixture resembles fine sand.
Add the chopped apricot, nuts and cranberry pieces mix to combine. Slowly add the fresh orange juice and enough milk to bring the dough together, using a table knife to do so. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work-surface and knead very gently for 20 seconds, just enough to bring the dough together. Don’t over-work the dough as this will make the scones heavy.
Pat the dough into a side plate sized circle, then brush with beaten egg yolk, sprinkle the sugar nibs. Place onto a lined baking tray, score the surface into 8 wedges.
Bake on the middle shelf of the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes until well-risen and golden.
Cool the scones on a wire rack and serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
*Best eaten on the day, but can be split and toasted the next day IF you have any left over.
*Best eaten on the day, but can be split and toasted the next day IF you have any left over.
