Earl Grey & Blood Orange Scones
Earl Grey is a tea that lends itself so well to baked goods. I was inspired by a couple of blood oranges sitting on my kitchen counter to pair the flavours of Earl Grey and blood orange in a flaky, delicious scone. The zest from the blood orange elevates the existing citrus notes in the tea, and the Earl Grey adds a subtle floral tone, which is delightful. Served with a big mug of tea and a side of jam, these scones are the perfect afternoon snack or morning treat.
Table of Contents
- Earl Grey & Blood Orange Scone Ingredients
- Step One—Infuse the Buttermilk with Earl Grey Tea
- Step Two—Prepare the Blood Orange & Earl Grey Sugar
- Step Three—Mix the Scone Dough
- Step Four—Roll and Cut the Scones
- Step Five—Brush the Scones with Buttermilk & Sprinkle with Sugar
- Step Six—Bake, Cool, & Serve
- More Citrus Baked Goods
- Earl Grey & Blood Orange Scone Recipe
Earl Grey & Blood Orange Scone Ingredients
To make this recipe, you will need the following ingredients:
- 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon buttermilk
- 3 teaspoons Earl Grey tea leaves, divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 70 grams (1/3 cup) sugar
- 1 teaspoon blood orange zest (from one blood orange)
- 128 grams (1 cup) whole spelt flour
- 265 grams (2 cups) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 170 grams (3/4 cup) cold salted butter, cubed
- 15 grams (1 tablespoon) turbinado sugar
Step One—Infuse the Buttermilk with Earl Grey Tea
The night before baking, in a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the buttermilk, 2 teaspoons of the Earl Grey tea leaves (I like this one), and the vanilla bean paste or extract. Screw the lid on tightly and shake vigorously. Transfer the buttermilk to the fridge to infuse overnight until you are ready to bake. Strain the infused buttermilk through a fine-mesh sieve before using in the scones.
The first time I tested this recipe, I heated the buttermilk gently on the stove, then added the Earl Grey tea to steep. As soon as I did it, I realized two mistakes: one, the buttermilk curdled when heated, and two, then I had warm buttermilk, which would have melted my cold butter, therefore impacting the flakiness of the scones. From this experience, I determined an overnight cold infusion of the buttermilk would work best.
Step Two—Prepare the Blood Orange & Earl Grey Sugar
Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Measure the white sugar into a large mixing bowl. Add one teaspoon of finely crushed Earl Grey tea leaves and the blood orange zest. Use your fingers to massage the tea and zest into the sugar until fragrant.
Massaging the blood orange zest into the sugar with your fingers releases the oils in the zest, which results in a much more distinct citrus flavour and smell.
Step Three—Mix the Scone Dough
Add the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the bowl with the sugar and whisk well to combine. Use your hands to massage the cold cubed butter into the dry mixture until the dough is a sandy texture.
Pour the infused buttermilk into the scone dough. Use your hands to knead the dough together into a ball. The dough will be slightly crumbly and require a bit of pressure to stay together.
Step Four—Roll and Cut the Scones
Transfer the scone dough to a clean, lightly floured work surface. Work the dough into a rough rectangle, then use a rolling pin to roll it out until it measures roughly 10 x 6 inches and 1½ inches thick. Use a bench scraper or knife to cut the dough into 8 roughly even-sized rectangular scones.
Step Five—Brush the Scones with Buttermilk & Sprinkle with Sugar
Transfer the scones to a lined baking sheet and brush the tops with the remaining one tablespoon of buttermilk. Sprinkle turbinado sugar over the tops of the scones.
Step Six—Bake, Cool, & Serve
Bake the scones for 20 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until they are golden brown on top. Transfer the scones to a cooling rack to cool for 20 minutes before serving.
More Citrus Baked Goods
If you loved these Earl Grey & Blood Orange Scones, be sure to try these citrus baked goods too:
Pavlova with Lemon & Passionfruit Curd
Lemon Pistachio Loaf with Lemon Glaze
If you make this recipe, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! I love to see what you all are making.
Feel free to leave any questions, comments, or reviews below. I love to hear from you!
Cheers to citrus season and tea-infused baked goods!
Earl Grey & Blood Orange Scones
Equipment
- Rolling Pin
- Large baking sheet
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon buttermilk
- 3 teaspoons Earl grey tea leaves, divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 70 grams sugar (1/3 cup)
- 1 teaspoon blood orange zest (from approximately 1 blood orange)
- 128 grams whole spelt flour (1 cup)
- 265 grams all-purpose flour (2 cups)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 170 grams cold salted butter, cubed (3/4 cup)
- 15 grams turbinado sugar (1 tablespoon)
Instructions
- The night before baking, in a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the buttermilk, 2 teaspoons of the Earl Grey tea leaves, and the vanilla bean paste or extract. Screw the lid on tightly and shake vigorously. Transfer the buttermilk to the fridge to infuse overnight until you are ready to bake. Strain the infused buttermilk through a fine-mesh sieve before using in the scones.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Measure the white sugar into a large mixing bowl. Add one teaspoon of finely crushed Earl Grey tea leaves and the blood orange zest. Use your fingers to massage the tea and zest into the sugar until fragrant.
- Add the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the bowl and whisk well to combine. Use your hands to massage the cold cubed butter into the dry mixture until the dough is a sandy texture.
- Pour the infused buttermilk into the scone dough. Use your hands to knead the dough together into a ball. The dough will be slightly crumbly and require a bit of pressure to stay together.
- Transfer the scone dough to a clean, lightly floured work surface. Work the dough into a rough rectangle, then use a rolling pin to roll it out until it measures roughly 10 x 6 inches and 1½ inches thick. Use a bench scraper or knife to cut the dough into 8 roughly even-sized rectangular scones.
- Transfer the scones to a lined baking sheet and brush the tops with the remaining one tablespoon of buttermilk. Sprinkle turbinado sugar over the tops of the scones, then bake for 20 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through.
- Transfer the scones to a cooling rack to cool for 20 minutes before serving.
