Cherry Scones

This week, our Babel group will hold its last dinner, following a reading from Salman Rushdie and Midnight's Children. We've been asked to bring a dessert or wine. In honor of his British-Indian influence, in both real life and the novel, I've decided to make cherry scones. I will bring along mascarpone and homemade blueberry jam (from last summer's bounty) as accompaniments. (Another JO recipe :)

You need:
1 c. dried tart cherries
1/2 c. orange juice, for soaking
4 c. self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 c. butter
Salt
2 large eggs
1/3 c. milk, plus extra for brushing


Soak the cherries in a little bowl with just enough orange juice to cover them. While they're soaking, you can either pulse the flour, baking powder and butter in a food processor just until the mixture starts to look like breadcrumbs (don't be tempted to over-pulse!), or you can rub them together by hand. Transfer to a mixing bowl and make a well in the middle. In another bowl, beat the eggs and milk with a fork. Drain the cherries in a strainer and add them to the eggs and milk with a good pinch of salt. Then, pour the wet mixture into the well of the dry mixture and stir well, adding a splash of milk here and there if needed until you have a soft, dry dough.

Dust your work surface, roll the dough to about 3/4 in. thick, and cut into biscuit-sized rounds. Dip a pastry brush into some milk and brush the top of each scone. Bake at 400 degrees for 13-15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Makes 15 scones