And So It Begins.....Again (With Raspberry-Orange Cream Scones)

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Today is the first day of school. It hardly seems possible. Summer vacation has flown by so quickly, that I hardly had time to blink, and now, it's over! I should be thrilled, like any self-respecting, harried mom/taxi driver would be, but I'm not. You see, this isn't just any old, regular, run of the mill, first day of school. Today is Mini SGCC's first day of high school. Oooh! I got goosebumps just writing those words. High School! My baby's in high school! How did this happen? When did my angelic little curly-haired moppet trade in hair bows for lipstick? Fingerpaints for Algebra? Stuffed animals for boys?!?!

She's been gone for five hours now, and I'm sitting here, wondering.....worrying. Did she find her way to her first class okay? Was she able to get into her locker? Will her teachers be nice? Will the other kids be friendly? Will she find someone to sit with at lunch? Oh, please God, let her find some nice kids to sit with at lunch!

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Last night, as I tucked her into bed, (Yes, I still do that. You wanna make something of it?), I could tell she was anxious. Our eyes met in the dark and I knew. For all her bravado and outward poise, deep down inside there still is that little girl, vulnerable and unsure, stripped of her cloak of teenaged coolness. We talked a little and I hoped that I said something to ease her mind.

Later, as I tossed and turned and tried to get to sleep, I remembered my own high school days. Things were so much simpler then. A few new outfits, a looseleaf binder and some sharpened pencils and you were good to go. Do you know that in our school district, entering freshman actually have to declare a major? Can you believe that? This world has gotten so complicated that kids are already supposed to have their lives mapped out by the time they're fourteen! I'm still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up!

So, this morning, as I heard Mini SGCC rustling about at 5:00 a.m., I wanted to do a little something to mark the occasion. It had to be something understated and completely devoid of sentimentality and mushiness. She is way too cool for that! I decided to make these lovely cream scones.

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I got the basic recipe from Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From My Home to Yours, and added a few small tweaks to it. The original recipe calls for dried currants, but I didn't have any. Instead, I threw in a handful of tiny dried raspberries. I also added some fresh orange zest and a few drops of pure orange oil to the dough.

Despite the fact that it was the brink of dawn and my taste buds weren't fully awake yet, I was very pleased with the way these scones turned out. Warm from the oven, they were slightly sweet, delicately crumbly and light as a whisper. The orange flavor was discernible, but subtly so. With a smidge of mascarpone and raspberry jam, they were worth getting up at five in the morning for.....well, almost!

Raspberry-Orange Cream Scones (Printable Recipe)

1 large egg

2/3 cup heavy whipping cream

2 cups all purpose flour

2 tbsp granulated sugar

2 tablespoons fresh grated orange zest

1/4 tsp orange oil

1 tbsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

5 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled

3/4 cup dried raspberries

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.

Stir the egg and cream together. Mix in the orange oil.

Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Drop in the butter and, using your fingers, toss to coat the pieces of butter with flour. Quickly, working with your fingertips or a pastry blender, cut and rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is pebbly.

Pour the egg, cream, zest and raspberries over the dry ingredients and stir with a fork just until the dough, which will be wet and sticky, comes together. Still in the bowl, gently knead the dough by hand, or turn it with a rubber spatula 8 to 10 times.

Lightly dust a work surface with flour and turn out the dough. Divide it in half. Working with one piece at a time, pat the dough into a rough circle that's about 5 inches in diameter, cut it into 6 wedges and place it on the baking sheet. (At this point, the scones can be frozen on the baking sheet, then wrapped airtight. Don't defrost before baking- just add about 2 minutes to the baking time.)

Bake the scones for 20 to 22 minutes, or until their tops are golden and firmish. Transfer them to a rack and cool for 10 minutes before serving, or wait for them to cool to room temperature.

Yield: 12 small or 6 large scones

Enjoy!

If you like this recipe, check out:

Apple Cheddar Scones

Bacon, Cheddar and Green Onion Scones from Confessions of a Foodie Bride

Strawberry and Chocolate Chip Scones (gluten free) from Karina's Kitchen

Lemon Yogurt Scones from Tartelette

Cherry Almond Scones from Spatulas, Corkscrews & Suitcases

Coffee Glazed Chocolate Chip Scones from Baking and Books

Comments

Yum. I'd rather get up in the morning for these instead of getting up in the morning for the gym. Can I be your daughter? I'll stay in elementary school if you wnat me to!
Oh baby how i love a scone!

Are you on alert to leave because of Fay??? Stay safe!
Patsyk said…
My youngest will be starting kindergarten in a few weeks... while we are at different places with our kids, I can understand the feeling that they are growing up much too fast!

Those scones look incredible. Now, I'm thinking I need to make something special on the first day of school this year....
Anonymous said…
We have a week and a half for school to begin!

Those scones,,,OMG, OMG, OMG...I've never wanted anything so badly! Wow, be still my beating heart. You are amazing.
Lucy said…
Here in England we still have about 2-3 weeks until school begins but I would definitely not save these just for the first day back! They look delish
You are a great Mum to cook these lovely scones! My Mum was a teacher at the school I went to so on the first day back she was always rushing around getting herself together with no time to spare for such treats! I hope I can do this for my daugther some day (she's only 1)
browniegirl said…
I also want to be a mini SGCC please mum LOL!!! Ahhh, these milestones are difficult!! Got that t-shirt too!! Wonderful scones. I saw on twitter that you are preparing for the hurricane. Praying you guys are safe and OK!! A warm hug from one mum to another :)
Constance said…
Oh that sounds fabulous !!! I will try to make them sometime this week :) yummm. I lvoe that whole ide - the picture makes them look so light and fluffy and scrumptious !

Hope all went well with your baby-turned-highschool girl... May she have found nice kids to sit with at lunch, may her teachers be good, her classes be interesting to her.. And I think it is lovely that you still tuck her in at night :)

No reason to stop - it is such a loving and familar connection. I am sure she cherishes it too...
Anonymous said…
These look great! What a great send-off for the first day of school! Hope the day went well. We start school tomorrow- it's my first day as an eighth grade language arts teacher! Maybe I'll bring these scones in for the other teachers sometime!
Helene said…
You're such a cool mom! These are the best kind of treats before a nervous day!
PheMom said…
I can only imagine how you are feeling, but come this Thursday my boy, my sweetheart, is starting kindergarten. It is only half day, but it just feels so huge for all of us! Mini SGCC is very lucky to have such a sweet mom. Funny enough, I have been planning to make the Almond Scones from BFMHTY for his first day!
Sandy Smith said…
My oldest starts high school this year too! He's ambivalent. I'm sick!

And as if that weren't enough, my youngest is starting junior high! A double whammy! Have a recipe for that?! I've asked my husband to build a secret bunker in the woods so we can move the kids there, but he's not down with that plan, so high school it is. Sigh.
Manggy said…
OmiGOSH! First days! The fear! The insecurity! The scary queen bees I keep seeing on television! And now they have to declare a major?! You and I didn't do that and yet we turned out fine! Stupid education system. Sometimes a little uncertainty makes life more exciting.

As much as watching them grow up can cause insomnia (I'm not a parent, but I was the kid the night before those "first days"), tossing them in the fire is something that's for their own good-- and she'll always look up to you for guidance anyways :) I don't see why she won't, as a comforting (and decadent!) cream scone is never too far away!
La Bella Cooks said…
Aww, I hope your daughter had a great first day! I love a good scone right out of the oven and these look delicious. Your pictures are always gorgeous.
What a sweet mom you are Susan! If your daughters anything like you ( and I'm sure she is!) she'll have a ton of new friends sitting around her at lunch. I have a weekness for homemade scones, why can't you be my neighbor??
Hope all is well with "Fay"
grace said…
obviously, having had such delectable scones for breakfast has prepared your daughter for whatever she may have faced yesterday. i'm sure she eased into things just fine! :)
I remember my daughters first days of highschool. Here they start in grade 8 which I thought was way to young. What if....what if....I really felt for her. She is now in her 4th year of university so she survived those high school years with grace and polish.The scones were a great send off with just a bit of something special:D
Half Baked said…
aww your a sweet mom! Waht an awesome way to start the school year!!
LyB said…
Well, you've done it now Susan. I read the words "my baby's in high school!" and tears started rolling down my cheeks! I am such a cry baby! And my daughter is only going to second grade. But I could already imagine her all tall and off to high school. Man, it's tough being a mom these days. I think it's great you made a special breakfast for her first day of high school, starts things off right. :)
Leslie said…
I adore scones!! These look out of this world delish!
Anonymous said…
I can't believe it's already the school year. Where did the summer go? I would have LOVED to start high school or any year in school with these scones!
Wow! That last picture makes me want one right now! Fabulous looking with the marscapone and raspberry jam!
Anonymous said…
That last picture is so unfair right now. There is nothing in the fridge resembling dessert. Yum.
Zoe Francois said…
I can't wait until morning so I can make these for my family. Brew some coffee and I'm all set.
Anonymous said…
I just woke up to find these scones on your blog. So unfair! There's nothing here but Granola Grabbers and I'm totally tired of those right now! I know how you feel with first days...been there, done that and it's never easy. Hope she had a good day. And I really should make some of those scones...now!

Oh, and thanks for the link! You're so sweet, but then again, you probably already knew that! *wink, wink*
Cakelaw said…
Hope Mini SGCC's first day went well. Thse scones look awesome - a lovely gesture.
Nina Timm said…
You are a cool mom, Susan! I also like to treat my children to something special on memorable occasions. They do grow up all too fast...the other day I wanted hold my son's hand in the mall an he pulled his hand away...Gosh, I was devastated.I told him right there and then....."as long as I feed you, you WILL hold my hand!"(he-he) that settled it...
I love the idea of the orange in the scone..delicious!
Unknown said…
I made this recipe for breakfast this morning (my kids don't go back to school until next week, so I had some extra time to work in the kitchen today!). It is very tasty! You might also try substituting lemon zest in place of orange zest. Lemon pairs fabulously with raspberries. Thanks for sharing the recipe AND the experience!

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