The Magician’s Nephew Tea Party/Book Club: Cranberry-Spice Scones with Maple Cream

So every Wednesday, starting in October, I have been a part of a Tea Party/Bible Study/Book Club on The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis. This is different from my book club and the Book Club Picks I have been reviewing (and desperately need to catch up on). The first week we had Cederberg Tea Company Rooibos + Ginger Tea, Cranberry-Spice Scones with Maple Cream, Ham and Cheese Sandwiches, Cucumber Sandwiches, Fotina & Pork Puffed Pastry, and Mini Apple Pies.

I couldn’t share the recipes in October as I was in the middle of Horrorfst IX, so I will be starting now-and of course beginning with scones.

So last time I made scones I was trying to decide between Brown Sugar and Cream Cheese Scones and this one-Cranberry-Spice Scones with Maple Cream. When it came to picking out a scone, I immediately went to this one as it was part of a Fall Teatime and because I really, really want to try it.

This comes from Teatime’s Teatime Celebrations Autumnal Harvest Tea

Cranberry-Spice Scones

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups of Flour (They said whole wheat but I just used regular)
• 1/4 Cup of Granulated Sugar
• 2 Teaspoons of Baking Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon of Salt
• 1/2 Teaspoon of Ground Allspice
• 1/8 Teaspoon of Ground Black Pepper
• 1/4 Cup of Cold Unsalted Butter, Cubed
• 1/3 Cup of Dried Cranberries
• 3/4 Cup of Heavy Whipping Cream
• 1/2 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
• Sugar for Garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, allspice, and pepper, whisking well.
4. Using a pastry blender, cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
5. Add cranberries, stirring to combine.
6. In a small bowl, combine cream and vanilla extract, stirring well. Add to flour mixture, stirring until mixture is evenly moist. (If dough seems dry, add more cream, 1 tablespoon at a time.) Working gently, bring mixture together with hands until a dough forms.
7. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead gently 4 to 5 times. Using a rolling pin, roll dough to a ¾-inch thickness. Using a 2¼-inch round cutter, cut 10 scones from dough. Place scones 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet.
8. Garnish tops of scones with additional sugar, if desired.
9. Bake until edges are golden brown and a wooden pick inserted in the centers comes out clean, approximately 20 minutes.

Maple Cream

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup of Cold Heavy Whipping Cream
• 2 Tablespoons of Confectioner’s Sugar/Powdered Sugar
• 1/4 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
• 2 1/2 Tablespoons of Maple Syrup, Divided

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine cream, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat at high speed with a mixer until soft peaks form. Add 2 tablespoons maple syrup, beating until stiff peaks form.
2. Use immediately, or cover and refrigerate until needed, up to 2 hours.
3. Before serving, drizzle cream with remaining ½ tablespoon maple syrup.

 

OMGOODNESS these were so good! They were just beyond delicious. I loved them and I loved the cream that went with it. All of us at the tea party did and couldn’t stop eating them.

No, stop! Alright.

If you like good scones, you should definitely make these.

For more recipes, go to Brown Sugar and Cream Cheese Scones

For more scones, go to Scottish Oat Scones

For more tea posts, go to Countdown to Christmas: Tea Advent Calendar Swap 2019

Brown Sugar and Cream Cheese Scones

So last weekend I had a tea party with my friend and sister.

I wanted to share this amazing Golden Tip Lapsang Souchong tea from Crafted Leaf Teas. I got us chocolate biscuits, made Cucumber and Chicken Salad sandwiches, and for dessert the Triple Berry Salad. 

And then it came time for the scones. The previous recipes were ones I had made before, but for the scones I wanted to try something new. My friend had bought me a subscription to a tea magazine for my birthday, the first magazine being on Teatime Celebrations, and I thought I would try one of its recipes. You know me and holidays!

So I was flipping through the magazine and I had a hard time choosing between Brown Sugar and Cream Cheese Scones from Mardi Gras teatime and Cranberry Spice Scones with Maple Cream from Autumnal Harvest Tea. I eventually decided on Brown Sugar and Cream Cheese Scones with plans to make the cranberry ones at a later date.

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups of All-Purpose Flours
• 1/3 Cup of Firmly Packed Light Brown Sugar
• 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon of Salt
• 1/4 Cup of Cold Salted Butter, Cubed
• 3 Ounces Cream Cheese, Cubed
• 3/4 Cup plus two tablespoons of cold Heavy Whipping Cream, divided
• 1/2 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
• Garnish: Turbinado Sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. In a large bowl: whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt.
4. Using a pastry blender or two forks, cut in cold butter until it resembles coarse crumbs.
5. Add cream cheese, stirring to combine, but leave in cubes.
6. In a small bowl, stir together 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon of cold cream and vanilla extract.
7. Add the mixture into the flour mix, until it is evenly moist. (If dough seems dry, add more cream-1 tablespoon at a time).
8. Working gently, bring the mixture together with hands until a dough forms.
9. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently 4 to 5 times.
10. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to be 3/4 inch thick.
11. Using a 2 1/4 inch fluted round cutter, cut 12 scones from the dough.
12. Place the scones 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
13. Brush scones with remaining cream.
14. Garnish tops with turbinado sugar.
15. Bake until edges are golden brown and a wooden pick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 20 mins.
16. Serve warm.

I also made some mock clotted cream to go with them:

So first of all, I completely recognize that I rolled these out too thin. I wasn’t paying attention to how thick they should be and then just got carried away. They don’t really rise so it is important to make sure  they are the right level of thickness.

These scones weren’t horrible but they turned out a bit plain. They definitely are in need of clotted cream, honey, jam, etc., something to give them a little more umph. But not bad-I would definitely make these again if I wanted to showcase a nice jam or something. They definitely do not overpower the tea or the meal. My sister put the cream on the scone and topped it with berries from the Triple Berry Salad and that came out really good.

For more scones, go to Scottish Oat Scones

For more recipes, go to Super Easy Classic Deviled Eggs