Monday, December 20, 2010

Fresh Cranberry and Crystalized Ginger Scones





Winter holiday season is always filled with programs and concerts, enough to fill more free time than anyone has.  Last week was the community band's 10th Annual Christmas Spectacular. We are a collection of amateur  musicians and music teachers who enjoy making music and giving back to the community. All of our concerts are free.  The Mississinewa Valley Band Christmas Spectacular is our best-attended concerts. Community folks attend as well as vans full of people from retirement homes. 


I needed to make some last minute cookies for the Christmas concert, something different than the usual homemade cookies most of us bring.  Christmasy red cranberry scones were perfect.


 Scones are always a favorite, especially with fruit.  We have been on a blueberry and orange scone binge since fresh blueberries were available this summer.  Mixing in frozen blueberries into the dough makes it an almost unworkably stiff dough. I was ready for something easier to make.


When I saw Gena's recipe at A Bluebonnet in Beantown for scones using fresh cranberries, I knew I had to try them. The recipe notes the dough is sticky. It is. A scoop rather than a biscuit cutter worked fine.  The two-bite scones were perfect for a cookie tray.  Of course, we wanted some too. The bigger scoop was about the size of the small biscuit cutter.  
They are so yummy, one must have two, with coffee or tea!


 These Cranberry and Crystalized Ginger Scones keep better than any other I have made. The fresh cranberries must absorb some of the moisture, the crystalized ginger gives a little kick, and the flavors meld to yield a buttery scrumptious flavor.  Gena's recipe goes into my 'keep' file.








2 comments:

Gena @ A Bluebonnet in Beantown said...

I'm so glad you liked them! Just reading this makes me want to make more.

rita said...

I saved this recipe too.
Can't believe I had nearly a whole month of your posts to catch up on!