Snow Flurried Cranberry Scones

By Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet

I'm having a fab fling with scones. Tonight seemed like the perfect time to bake a batch of fresh cranberry scones complete with a blanket of vanilla yogurt and a flurry of white chocolate chips. (Confectioner's sugar sprinkled on top amused me.) Yes, it's snowing (again) at Lake Tahoe. But just flurries, so far. The white powder and temperature drop inspired me to hit the kitchen and get in the mood. If I can't beat the Sierra snow, might as well get into it, one way or another...

My Earth Changes column--2010 Predictions--will be available in hard copy any day now, I predict. I did forecast that the Sierra would not get hit super hard with snowfall (some snow but not the year for getting snowbound) and rain for Northern California thanks to the warming trend of El Nino. I'm holding my ground on that prediction.

One more thing. Good news. Today, I received an email confirming that I will be penning a weekly foodie column in 2010 for the Tahoe Daily Tribune. I'm still smiling. At last, I have much more than a furry friend family to cook/bake for just as I wished for months ago. My mother would be surprised as well as my Home Economics teacher back in 7th grade.

And last but certainly not least, my baby--The Healing Powers of Chocolate--all 12 ounces was delivered today to http://www.amazon.com/ and some other web sites. I feel like a mom, of sorts. By January 5th, the book will be available at other online web sites and your local bookstore. So, yes, December 29th is a good day. Here come the flurries and here's the flurried scones. The title of this recipe was a spinoff of the Ansels Adams framed print in my kitchen. It's titled: Snow Covered Apple Orchard.

* * *

Snow Flurried Cranberry Scones

3 1/2 cups 100% natural whole wheat flour (I live in high altitude)
1/2 cup sugar (granulated)

1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup European Style butter (I'll go back to olive oil in 2010)
1 cup low fat, all natural vanilla yogurt

3/4 cup buttermilk
1 brown egg
1 tablespoon allspice

1 tablespoon fresh orange rind
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
a dash of Mediterranean Sea Salt
1 cup white chocolate chips

1-1 1/2 cup fresh cranberries, whole

confectioner's sugar (optional)

sliced almonds (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salts. Add chunks of butter (sliced in small squares). In another bowl combine yogurt, milk, and egg and stir till a dough-like mixture forms. (I used my hands.) Fold in cranberries, chips, and orange rind. Sprinkle with sugar and/or almonds. Drop large spoonfuls onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake till brown and crusty, about 12 to 14 minutes. Makes 12.

The first scone I tasted was sweeter and more moist than the spicy pumpkin scones. Warning: Let cool before removing from cookie sheet because they are gooey (blame it on the chocolate and cranberries). The tartness of the whole cranberries gives the sweetbread a nice balance--and you may like the crisp crunch on the edges. These dropped scones (I almost made the more challenging shapes) turned out larger than the pumpkin ones so I would eat one with juice or a salad and consider it a mini-meal not a small snack. Enjoy! Mine are going into the freezer for Old Man Wintery days ahead.