Sesame Orange Scones
Submitted by pookas
Sesame orange scones with nutty toasted sesame seeds, bright orange zest, and a glossy hot-orange-syrup glaze. Naturally dairy-free with a sticky-sweet citrus finish.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
15 minREADY
30 minSesame and orange sounds like a Middle Eastern bakery move, and these scones lean into the pairing without going full pastry case. Toasted sesame seeds get worked into the dough and sprinkled on top, while three tablespoons of orange zest plus a full cup of fresh orange juice (in place of milk) deliver layered citrus flavor. The orange-juice-and-sugar glaze brushed on twice during baking gives the tops a sticky-sweet, glossy finish.
These are also naturally dairy-free; vegetable shortening replaces butter, and the orange juice handles the liquid that milk would normally provide. The shortening builds flake the same way butter does in pie dough, and the orange juice lets you taste citrus through the entire crumb, not just the surface.
Piercing the tops with fork tines before glazing is a small but key step. The holes let the hot orange syrup soak in instead of running off, so each scone gets layered citrus rather than just a glazed surface.
Pro Tips
- Toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet for 3-4 minutes before adding to the dough. Untoasted sesame tastes flat; toasted is nutty and aromatic.
- Zest the oranges before juicing them; far easier than the other way around.
- Brush the hot glaze on while it’s still bubbling. Cool glaze sits on top instead of soaking in, and you’ll lose half the citrus impact.
- The second glaze brush after baking creates the candied finish. Don’t skip it; it’s what makes these special.
Variations
- Use blood oranges or Cara Cara oranges in winter for a more striking color and complex citrus flavor.
- Sub black sesame seeds for half the white for a dramatic visual contrast and slightly earthier flavor.
- Add 1 teaspoon ground cardamom to the dry ingredients for a warm spice note that pairs beautifully with both sesame and orange.
Ingredients
Directions
Heat oven to 425’F. Grease baking sheet. Set aside 1 tablespoon sesame seeds and 1 tablespoon orange rind. In large bowl, combine flour, remaining sesame seeds and orange rind, the brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. With pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Reserve 1 tablespoon orange juice. Add remaining orange juice to dry ingredients and mix lightly with fork until mixture clings together and fon-ns a soft dough.
- Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead gently 5 or 6 times. Divide dough in half, With lightly floured rolling pin, roll one half of dough into a 7-inch round. Cut into 4 wedges. Repeat with remaining half of dough.
- Place scones, 1 inch apart, on greased baking sheet. Pierce tops with tines of fork. In small saucepan, heat reserved orange juice and the granulated sugar to boiling; stir in reserved orange rind and brush over tops of scones. Sprinkle with reserved sesame seeds.
- Bake scones 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Brush again with orange glaze. Serve warm
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