Zested Orange & Vanilla Bean Scones
Light, fresh, and citrusy scones with a bold orange flavor. These smell heavenly as you make them and bake up with a perfect bit of crispiness to the edges and a buttery, tender crumb.
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 12 scones 1x
Ingredients
Scale
Scones
- 9 1/2 ounces (2 1/4 cups, spoon and level) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 2 5/8 ounces (6 tablespoons) vanilla sugar (or granulated sugar)
- 2 tablespoons orange zest
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 vanilla beans, split and scraped
- 3 ounces (6 tablespoons) butter, frozen and cubed
- 6 1/4 ounces (3/4 cup) heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Glaze
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar (or granulated sugar)
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- sparkling sugar, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, orange zest, salt, and vanilla bean seeds until evenly combined. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter until all pieces are small (pea-sized or less). Add cream and vanilla extract and fold in until incorporated. Use hands to gently knead everything together into a single ball of dough, adding a bit more cream if needed to bring dough together. Dough should not be wet or sticky.
- Divide dough in half and shape each half into a round disc about 3/4" thick on prepared baking sheet. Freeze for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 400ºF. Whisk together cream, vanilla sugar, and orange zest for glaze.
- Cut each disc of dough, pizza-style, into 6 individual scones and spread apart on baking sheet. Brush tops with cream mixture and sprinkle with sparkling sugar.
- Bake scones in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack until ready to serve. Scones are best fresh, but leftovers can kept in an airtight container at room temperature.