Page 222 - A Literary Holiday Cookbook

Makes 8 scones

“Opening [the envelope] hurriedly, out there jumped five little dried orange pips, which
pattered down upon his plate.”
—“The Five Orange Pips”

This reinterpretation of the classic British scone is inspired by “The Five Orange Pips,” one
of Sherlock Holmes’s most difficult cases. Luckily, this citrusy scone is delicious enough to
make you forget even your peskiest case. The outside has a firm, sweet crust, and the
inside is tender with a distinct orange flavor. This recipe uses blood orange bitters instead of

juice, which means you can make it even if blood oranges aren’t in season! *

INGREDIENTS

2 cups flour

¼ cup sugar, plus ¾ teaspoon for dusting
2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

⅓ cup cold butter, divided into tablespoons

1 tablespoon orange zest (or blood orange zest, if they’re in
season)

1 egg, lightly beaten

¼ cup blood orange bitters
¼ cup cold half-and-half

1 tablespoon milk, for brushing on top

INSTRUCTIONS

1 Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper

and set aside.

2 Whisk the flour, ¼ cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt

together in a large bowl. With a fork or pastry blender, cut the butter
into the flour mix until the mix has a crumb-like texture with bits of