Irish Soda Bread Cranberry Scones

Whenever I’ve picked up store bought scones I’ve always been disappointed. This year with Saint Patrick’s Day around the corner I came across a recipe for these Irish Soda Bread Scones. Determined to like scones, I gave this recipe a try. The recipe was originally made as a full loaf bread so I don’t know how traditional these are to scone recipes. The fluffy, dense texture on the inside and the rough exterior was very scone-like. If it tastes like a scone and looks like a scone, it’s a scone right? It was fair enough for me, especially since these were so delicious. I loved the bursts of sweet and tart from the cranberries, which paired well with the caraway. Next time I might go a little crazy and add orange or lemon zest to the dough and see how that turns out.

Irish Soda Bread Cranberry Scones
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
(makes 8 scones)
Printable Version

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for work surface
• 1 cup cake flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 cup dried cranberries or currants
• 1 tsp caraway seeds, ground (or 1 tbsp whole)

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400F.  Whisk together flours, sugar, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt in a large bowl.
2. Work the softened butter into the dry ingredients with a fork or your fingertips until the flour mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Add the buttermilk and egg, cranberries, caraway and stir with a fork until the dough just begins to come together.
4. Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until the dough just becomes cohesive and bumpy.
5. Pat dough into a round and use a knife to cut it into 8 wedges. Form each wedge into a round and place on a parchment-lined or greased baking sheet.
6. Cut a cross shape into the top of each. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the tops are golden brown, or until the internal temperature reaches 170 degrees.
7. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature.