Tea time fave.

Whenever I go to Singapore, one of my favorite places to go to is Tiong Bahru Bakery. I always visit the one in TANGS Orchard (mainly because I'm always in the Orchard area) and although that branch is quite small and can get crowded quickly, I dunno, I just love the vibe there. Tiong Bahru Bakery has really good coffee and even better pastries/food. Their Kouign-amann is just divine and the Smoked Salmon Squid Ink Roll is a great savory option. My most favorite pastry to order, though, are their scones, specifically the jasmine one. I never thought I'd like a jasmine scone but it was love at first bite! It was aromatic and floral without being overly so and it's good on its own or with butter and jam. It's unfortunate that they removed the scones in their current menu because their scones were EVERYTHING to me. Please bring them back, Tiong Bahru Bakery. :(

Because of that, I've always wanted to make some scones. However, I'm not really into kneading and all that (why do you I think I always stick to muffins, quick breads, and bars?) and most scone recipes require kneading at some point. Thankfully, after researching blogs and Youtube videos, I've discovered the beauty of drop scones! Sure they're not as flaky and bready as regular scones but they seem to be equally delicious and less time consuming.

I decided to recreate The Domestic Geek's Orange and Cranberry Scones because they seem easy to do and the flavor combo is just delish. When I was shopping for ingredients, the supermarket I went to didn't have plain dried cranberries but they did have dried mixed berries so that's what I went with. My mixed berries are a combo of cranberries, cherries, raisins, and blueberries (I picked out the dried plums) and I think those berries with the orange will just make a great scone flavor.

I think it's also worth noting that this is my first ever recipe wherein I used almond milk! I've only used dairy milk in all my baking so this is new to me. Honest review? Using almond milk gave a lighter flavor to these scones, a "healthier" taste if you will.  If I were to use fresh milk in this recipe, I think it'll taste creamier and milkier but a little heavy.

Since these scones are not kneaded, they don't have bready-flaky-ish texture. Their texture reminds me a little of monay, that's a bit dense but less crumbly and has a bit more bite. These scones are best eaten when they're fresh out the oven with butter spread on top and with every bite. The mixed berries add a bit more tang and sweetness to the scones, complemented well by the orange juice and fragrance of the orange zest. Such a great flavor combo! The sweetness for me is just right but you can always add in more sugar if you'd like or just pair it with a jam or even marmalade. Enjoy these scones with a hot cup of tea...or just on its own!

MIXED BERRIES AND ORANGE DROP SCONES

(adapted from The Domestic Geek)

YIELD: 9 - 10  scones

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 c + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

3/4 c almond milk (I used the Silk vanilla sweetened almond milk)

1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup dried mixed berries

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking tray.

2. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and orange zest. Set aside.

3. In another cup or bowl, mix together almond milk and orange juice. Slowly add it to the flour mixture and mix well until no streaks of flour is left. 

4. Fold in the dried mixed berries.

5. Using an ice cream scooper, scoop batter onto the baking tray, making sure each scone is evenly spaced apart.

6. Bake for 14-16 minutes or until the top and bottom are golden brown. If the tops are not browning enough, flip them and give them 2-3 minutes to brown.

7. Let scones cool a bit on a rack before serving. Make sure to spread some butter while you eat it! Enjoy!