Satsuma Mandarin Orange Scones

There's very little that I like about winter but those first couple of months of the new year do have one high note and that is the abundance of winter citrus. It's always been strange to me that fresh fruit is in peak season when my city is blanketed in frozen snow.

A winter offering I can never resist is Satsuma mandarin oranges with their leafy green tops. I'll admit I love how they look but, ultimately, it's their flavor that draws me in. Milder than regular oranges, I find their gentle flavor is perfect in baked goods.

They can be a little trickier to eat because they're small and have somewhat of a thick membrane making it harder to cut out segments. But their juice and their zest are sublime.

The satsumas add such a beautiful touch to a batch of cream scones. The trick to getting those lovely layers is to fold the dough over a few times. The result is a fluffy, light scone infused with the flavor and aroma of these mandarins. Just pour yourself a cup of tea and enjoy!

Yield: 8 Servings

Author: Anita Schecter

Satsuma Mandarin Orange Scones

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 40 Min

Recipe for cream scones flavored with satsuma mandarin orange juice and zest, topped with a mandarin orange glaze.

Ingredients

For the Scones:

• 2 3/4 Cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 Cup granulated sugar
• 2 Teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 Teaspoons salt
• 1 Stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, chilled
• 3/4 Cup cream
• 1/2 Cup Satsuma mandarin orange juice
• 1 Teaspoon Satsuma mandarin orange zest

For the Glaze:

• 1 Cup powdered sugar
• 2 Tablespoons milk
• 1 Teaspoon Satsuma mandarin orange zest
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Add the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt to a large bowl. Grade in the stick of unsalted butter using a large box grader. You can also cut the butter into 1/2" pieces and cut it into the flour with a pastry cutter or fork instead. Using your fingers, mix the butter in until it's coated in the flour but the mixture is still coarse and lumpy.
2. Add in the cream, juice and zest. Mix with a spoon as much as you can and then turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured surface. It will be very sticky. Work it together with your hands until you have a rectangular piece. Fold it in half, flatten out again, give it a quarter turn and fold over again. Repeat until you've made 4 folds.
3. Roll it out to a circle that's approximately 1" thick and then cut it into 8 pieces. Place the scones on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place them in the freezer while you pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
4. To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, zest and salt until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled scones.

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