Fresh Cranberry and Chestnut Gingerbread Scones

These are gorgeous. I had to share them with you quickly before the festive season is over and they are kind of irrelevant.

I bought a punnet of fresh cranberries just before Christmas because I had never seen or tried fresh ones before. When I got them home I was sort of unsure about what to do with them. Cranberry sauce was too boring, I wanted something where you can taste the cranberry in its natural state and feel the texture.

I saw Beth Michelle’s recipe for dried cherry and chocolate gingerbread scones and knew straight away my fresh cranberries had a destiny at last.  The chestnuts were a must to give it extra Christmasiness and I livened the whole thing up with lots of freshly grated orange zest. We are in Andalucia after all.

I used a mixture of spelt flour and plain flour for these but you can just use plain flour if that’ s all you have. You can also substitute dried cranberries for the fresh, you won’t get that  amazing contrast of sourness with the sweet gingerbread but I’m sure it will still be delicious. Walnuts would be nice instead of the chestnuts if they are difficult to get but don’t miss out the orange zest.

Cranberry & Chestnut Gingerbread Scones

Makes about 12 scones. Adapted from Beth Michelle

Prep time: 10 mins Cooking time: 25 mins

• 300 gr (2 cups) flour, I used 175 gr spelt flour & 125 gr plain flour
• 85 gr (1/2 cup) brown sugar
•  1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp powdered ginger
• 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• a pinch of salt
• 120 gr (8 tbsp) cold butter, cut into cubes
• 55 ml (1/4 cup) milk, I used soya milk
• 4 tbsp molasses/miel de cana/date honey
• 1 egg
• the zest of 1 orange
• 200 gr fresh cranberries
• 75 gr peeled chestnuts, roughly chopped

Preheat the oven to 180 C and line  a baking tray with baking paper.

In a bowl, mix together the flours, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg & salt. I use a balloon  hand whisk, I think it makes things lighter.

Add the cold butter cubes and the flour mixture to a food processor and pulse until the butter is the size of peas.

In a large bowl whisk together the milk, molasses, egg and orange zest until well combined.

Add the flour mix to the wet ingredients along with the cranberries and chestnuts. Mix together until just combined and a ball of dough is formed. Do not overmix or your scones will be tough.

Flour your worksuface and tip the dough out. Gently shape into a circle about 1 inch thick. Cut out circles using a 3 inch cookie cutter or chefs ring, rubbing the ring in the flour each time to stop them sticking. You will have to reshape the off cuts to get the last couple.

Put them directly on the baking paper on the tray, do not push them down to flatten them. Gently brush the tops with a little milk and bake for 20 – 25 minutes until the tops are golden & cracked and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Serve warm or at room temperature, if you can wait. Store in an airtight container, not in the fridge.

They are light, crumbly, soft and sweet with a sharp hit of cranberry every now and again that is just heaven….

Happy New Year Everyone!!