Saturday, December 10, 2011

Melanie Dickerson Visits the Cafe Today!!!!!


In honor of my new release, The Merchant’s Daughter, set in rural England, I’m going to share my famous Cranberry Orange Scones recipe. Okay, it’s only famous at my church, but still. And you have to eat the scones with the Devonshire cream and some strawberry jam—or whatever jam you prefer. Mmmm, yummy. (I know cranberries and pecans aren’t really English, but close your eyes and imagine you’re eating them in a castle in England beside a gorgeous hero with a British accent. Or imagine that your husband has a British accent. That should help you forget.)



Cranberry-Orange Scones

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/4 teas. salt
1/3 cup cold butter or magarine
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 teas. grated orange peel
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. whipping cream, divided
Jam of your choice

Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add apricots, pecans and orange peel. With a fork, rapidly stir in 1 cup whipping cream just until moistened. Turn onto a floured surface; knead 5-6 times. Divide in half; shape into a ball. Flatten each ball into a 6-in. circle; cut each circle into eight wedges. Place 1 in. apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Brush with remaining whipping cream. Bake at 375 degrees for 13-15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.



Devonshire Cream

6 oz. cream cheese, softened
¼ cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ cup whipping cream

In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla until fluffy. Gradually beat in enough cream to achieve a spreading consistency. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours.
Note:  Amounts are approximate. Add sugar to your own taste. [I always add extra sugar!]

Thanks, Ruthy and Missy, for letting me take over the Yankee Belle Café for a day. I really do love to bake, and these scones are really easy.



And if you Yankee Belle Café customers like romance and a good Beauty and the Beast story, please check out my new book, the blurb and the really great trailer (I can say it’s really great because I didn’t have anything to do with creating it!) on my website, www.MelanieDickerson.com


8 comments:

  1. Oooh, I love scones!

    And just for tonight, my dear husband has a pseudo-British accent!

    I'm mentally going through my pantry - do I have the ingredients to make these? I don't have dried cranberries, but I do have a bag of fresh ones in the freezer and a dehydrator...

    Umm hmmm, I think we're in business!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Melanie, I almost made these last night! Then I decided I was too much of a slug. We'd just taken my son out to eat for his birthday, and I was stuffed.

    Maybe I'll make them today. Jan, we keep dried cranberries on hand for salads, so I have everything I need! :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Melly, you just cracked me up. I was imagining my husband with a British accent. Actually he makes scones. Maple and pecan. Will share this recipe with him.

    BTW I have a mailman who brings me miracles.

    Yes. It's true. He just brought me a copy of The Merchant's Daughter. I am loving it. Thank you for being such a generous and amazing writer.

    It is going to be sent to many folks on my Christmas list (via Amazon ). I like to share the joy.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh, Tina, I want your mailman! I'll have to get on Amazon right now and make that miracle happen! :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thanks, you guys, Jan, Missy and Tina!!! You'll have to let me know how you liked them if you end up making them.

    Actually, you can substitute any kind of dried fruit for the craisins. I just love dried cranberries, and they taste sensational in this recipe. The original recipe called from dried apricots, actually, which is much more British!

    Tina, I hope you like the book! ;-) I carried your comments about this book in my heart for YEARS from when you judged it in a contest, the Gotcha! I really wondered if it would ever get published, and I would always remember what you said about it, and it encouraged me so much! Of course, it's gone through quite a transformation since you judged it, but the essential story and characters are the same.

    Love you girls!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. And wow, Tina. A man who makes scones!!! He's a keeper. ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Mmm... I love a good scone! Looks so yummy, Melanie! How are the book sales going?

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hey, Linnette! I don't really know! LOL! Just believing for the best.

    ReplyDelete