The cranberry, which belongs to the same plant family as the blueberry, has drooping, pink flowers; small, thick evergreen leaves; and shiny scarlet berries. Cranberries often grow in huge, sandy bogs as low, trailing vines. The plants grow wild in northern Europe and in the northern climes of North America, where they are also extensively cultivated — mainly in Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Washington and Oregon.
The annual harvest that begins in late September is accomplished by flooding the beds with water and using mechanical harvesters. The floating berries are then corralled by wooden float boards and conveyed onto waiting trucks.
Candied Cranberry and Walnut Scones |
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2 cups all purpose flour 1/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces 2/3 cup dried cranberries (about 3-1/2 ounces) 2/3 cup walnuts 1/4 cup brown sugar 2 large eggs 2/3 cup chilled crème fraîche or sour cream 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract Sugar |
Preheat oven to 350°F. Blend cranberries, walnuts and sugar and bake on cookie sheet until golden brown (about 10 minutes). Whisk first 5 ingredients in large bowl to blend. Rub in butter with fingertips until mixture resembles fine meal. Mix in cranberries. Separate 1 egg; place white in small bowl and reserve. Place yolk in medium bowl. Whisk whole egg, crème fraîche and vanilla into yolk. Gently stir crème fraîche mixture into flour mixture (dough will be very moist). Turn dough out onto generously floured work surface. Divide dough in half. Press each half into 6-inch round about 1/2 inch thick. Cut each round into 6 wedges. Beat reserved white until foamy; brush over wedges. Sprinkle with sugar. Transfer wedges to baking sheet, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake scones until pale golden and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Serve scones warm or at room temperature. Makes 12. |
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