Cranberry Orange Scones & Mini Melts

Having never made scones, I was a bit nervous when I signed up to make them for a baby shower I helped host over the weekend. So I was relieved at how great these turned out  and that everyone loved them. They were flaky, moist and the fresh orange zest glaze added the perfect amount of sweetness.

I also brought mini melts with a poppy seed drizzle that worked great for a large crowd.

Cranberry Orange Scones 
Adapted from a Marion Cunningham recipe from Baking with Julia
Makes 12 scones
Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
  
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  
• 1 cup buttermilk
  
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
  
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

1. In a medium bowl, whisk to combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the cold butter pieces and using your fingertips, work the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal with a few larger pieces.
   
2. Add 1 cup buttermilk, cranberries, and orange zest and mix with a fork until ingredients are just moistened. If the dough looks dry, add another tablespoon of buttermilk.
   
3. Gather the dough into a ball, pressing it gently so that it holds together, and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead it briefly, about 10 times or so, and then cut the dough in half.
   
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll one piece of dough into a 1/2-inch thick circle that is about 7 inches across, and cut the circle into 6 wedges. Place the scones on an ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat with the other half of the dough. Bake the scones for 10-12 minutes until the tops and bottoms are golden brown. Transfer the scones to a rack to cool slightly before serving.
   

To make ahead the night before: Cut the dough circle into 6 wedges.  Transfer the triangles to a cookie sheet and cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Bake 10-12 minutes. Drizzle with glaze


To make days ahead: Freeze the dough circles, wrapped in a double layer of plastic wrap for up to two weeks. Thaw the circles overnight in the refrigerator, cut into wedges as above and bake for 10-12 minutes until golden. Drizzle with glaze.

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Orange Glaze
Ingredients:

• 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
  
• 2 tablespoons or so of orange juice
  
• fine zest of one orange
  

Directions:

1. Place the sugar in a bowl.
2. Add the orange zest and enough orange juice to make the icing thin enough to drizzle. Add more sugar if too thin and add more juice if too thick.
3. Using a spoon, drizzle the icing over the scones.

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Mini Melts
Adapted from Keeping Up cook book
Ingredients:

• 2 dozen soft dinner rolls
  
• 1 1/5 lbs. deli meat
  
• 1 lb. slices deli cheese
  

For poppy seed drizzle:

• 1 1/2 tbs. poppy seeds
  
• 1 1/2 tbs. yellow mustard
  
• 1/2 cup butter
  
• 1 tbs. minced dried onion
  
• 1/2 tsp. soy sauce
  

Directions:

1. Stuff sliced rolls with meat and cheese (I did half turkey and swiss and half ham and harvarti). Place sandwiches in 2 9x13" baking dishes.
   
2. Heat remaining ingredients in small sauce pan until butter is melted, stirring often.
   
3. Brush tops of sandwiches with sauce and cover pans with foil.
   
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted.