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These easy orange scones are for citrus lovers

Recipe: Orange-raisin sour cream scones with orange-vanilla glaze

Raisins dot this glazed orange scone.

Raisins dot this glazed orange scone. Debbie Arrington

Can’t get enough orange? These easy scones are for you.

The secret to delicate scones that melt in your mouth is to treat the dough gently. It may seem like biscuit dough, but don’t knead it. Just pat it tenderly into shape with floured hands.

Because there’s so much butter, keep all the ingredients as cold as possible. If the dough seems too sticky, refrigerate it 10 to 15 minutes before shaping.

Using a food processor to cut the butter and orange zest into the dry ingredients creates a finely textured crumb with tiny bits of orange flavor in every bite. The orange-vanilla glaze adds another layer of tangy sweetness.

Scone dough on a flour-covered board
Pat the dough into a circle, then cut it.

You’ll need two medium oranges or one big one. One medium orange yields about 3 tablespoons zest.

Orange-raisin sour cream scones with orange-vanilla glaze

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons orange zest, finely grated

6 tablespoons butter, cut into 6 pieces

2 eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

3 tablespoons orange juice

½ cup raisins

Flour for dusting

For glaze:

1 tablespoon butter, melted

2 to 3 tablespoons orange juice

2 tablespoons orange zest, finely grated

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

A glazed orange scone on a plate
There's orange in the scone and in the glaze.

In a food processor, mix together flour, salt, baking powder, sugar and orange zest; pulse to combine.

Add butter; pulse until butter is combined with dry ingredients; about 20 pulses. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat 2 eggs. Add sour cream and 3 tablespoons orange juice; stir to combine with a few quick strokes. Add dry ingredients, mixing just until combined to form a sticky dough. Gently fold in raisins. If dough is too sticky, refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes.

Put dough on lightly floured board. With floured hands, gently pat dough into an 8-inch round about 1 inch thick. With a floured knife, cut round into 8 wedges.

Transfer wedges onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake scones in a 450-degree oven until golden brown, about 12 to 15 minutes.

Remove from oven. Let cool for 5 minutes on baking sheet, then transfer to a rack.

While scones are cooling, make glaze. Melt butter. Add 2 tablespoons orange juice and 2 tablespoons zest. Add powdered sugar and beat to combine. Add vanilla. If needed, add a little more orange juice to reach desired consistency.

Spread glaze over warm scones. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes to let glaze set.

Serve scones warm.

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Dig In: Garden Checklist

For week of March 24:

In between cloud bursts, try to catch up with early spring chores. 

* Attack weeds now! Get them before they flower and go to seed. Take a hoe and whack them as soon as they sprout. Aim for 1 inch below the soil line.

* Start preparing vegetable beds. Spade in compost and other amendments.

* Prune and fertilize spring-flowering shrubs after bloom.

* Feed camellias at the end of their bloom cycle. Pick up browned and fallen flowers to help corral blossom blight.

* Feed citrus trees, which are now in bloom and setting fruit. To prevent sunburn and borer problems on young trees, paint the exposed portion of the trunk with diluted white latex (water-based) interior paint. Dilute the paint with an equal amount of cold water before application.

* Feed roses with a balanced fertilizer (such as 10-10-10, the ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium available in that product).

* Prune and fertilize spring-flowering shrubs and trees after they bloom. Try using well-composted manure, spread 1-inch thick under the tree. This serves as both fertilizer and mulch, retaining moisture while cutting down on weeds.

* Cut back and fertilize perennial herbs to encourage new growth.

* Seed and renovate the lawn (if you still have one). Feed cool-season grasses such as bent, blue, rye and fescue with a slow-release fertilizer. Check the irrigation system and perform maintenance. Make sure sprinkler heads are turned toward the lawn, not the sidewalk.

* In the vegetable garden, transplant lettuce and cole family plants, such as cabbage, broccoli, collards and kale.

* Seed chard and beets directly into the ground.

* Plant summer bulbs, including gladiolus, tuberous begonias and callas. Also plant dahlia tubers.

* Shop for perennials. Many varieties are available in local nurseries and at plant events. They can be transplanted now while the weather remains relatively cool.

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