Apricot Scone

Dried Fruit is a great addition to a scone recipe. This first Apricot Scone recipe uses dried apricots and grated orange zest for additional flavor. The liquid is orange juice and cream.

Apricot Scone Recipe

4 cups All-purpose flour
1/2 cup Granulated sugar
4 teaspoons Baking powder
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Cream of tartar
3/4 cup Butter
2 tablespoons Orange peel - grated
1 cup Dried apricots chopped fine
1 Egg
1 cup Cream
1/2 cup Orange juice
Cream and granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and grease a large baking sheet.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cream of tartar. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the orange peel and apricots.

In a small bowl, beat together the egg, cream and orange juice. Add to the dry ingredients and mix lightly with a fork until a soft dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently 5 or 6 times.

Divide the dough into quarters and roll each to a 1/2-inch thickness. Cut into wedges. Place the scones on the prepared baking sheet. Brush with cream and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes.

This apricot scone recipe uses canned apricots instead of dried. It also adds oat bran and uses low fat milk to decrease fat intake and increase fiber intake. That's not a bad thing.

Apricot Scones

1 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
1 cup Oat bran - uncooked
2 tablespoons Granulated sugar
1 tablespoon Baking powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 cup Margarine
1 Egg - beaten
3 tablespoons Lowfat 1% milk
17 ounces Canned Apricot halves; drained - chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine the flour, oat bran, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Cut in the margarine with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.

Add the egg, milk and apricots and stir just until the dough leaves the side of the bowl.

Divide the dough in half and place on a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle the surface of the dough with additional flour. Roll or pat the dough into a 6-inch circle, 1 inch thick. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Cut each circle into six wedges with a lightly floured knife. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the baking sheet. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Serve warm or cool completely.

The white chocolate and walnut addition to this apricot scone recipe really puts in a flavor wallop.

White Chocolate Walnut Apricot Scone Recipe

2 cups All-purpose flour
1/3 cup Granulated sugar
2 teaspoons Baking powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 cup Unsalted chilled butter
1/2 cup Heavy (whipping) cream
1 large Egg
1 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
6 ounces White chocolate cut into inch chunks
1 cup Toasted coarsely broken walnuts
1 cup Finely chopped dried apricots

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut the butter into 1/2 inch cubes and distribute them over the flour mixture. With a pastry blender or two knives used scissors fashion, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

In a small bowl, stir together the cream, egg, and vanilla. Add the cream mixture to the flour mixture and knead until combined. Knead in the white chocolate, walnuts, and apricots.

With lightly floured hands, pat the dough out on a floured work surface to a thickness of 5/8 inch. Cut circles in the dough with a biscuit cutter. Gather the scraps of dough together and repeat till all the dough is used.

Bake the scones on ungreased baking sheet for 15 to 20 minutes, or until lightly browned on top. Place the baking sheet on a wire rack for 5 minutes and then transfer the scones to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or cool completely and store in an airtight container. This apricot scone recipe makes 8 or 9 scones.

You Might Need:

• Nordic Ware Cast Aluminum Mini-Scone Pan