Drop scones with blood-orange compote, and scented crème fraîche...

Now that spring is finally around the corner, it's time to abandon our winter warmers for breakfast, and start awakening our tastebuds.  Citrus fruits are always a delight first thing in the morning, and have the effect of stimulating our palate and our metabolism.  I'm not suggesting you suffer though - this breakfast combination makes a very luxurious treat...  I made it last week for the 11yo during half term, and as today is her 12th birthday, I made it for everyone...

Blood-Orange Compote, and scented Crème Fraîche

Ingredients:

4 blood oranges
20g caster sugar

100g creme fraiche

1/2 vanilla pod

Method:

• Put the crème fraîche into a small serving bowl, and zest at least two of the blood oranges into it, to taste - you're looking for a zingy, tart contrast to the sweet compote.  You may want to sweeten it to taste with icing sugar - it will be very tart...  Alternatively, you could a teaspoon or so of vanilla extract, to round out the flavour
• Peel and segment the oranges - make sure you do this over a bowl to capture all of the juices
• Warm the orange segments and their juice in a pan over a low heat
• Cut open the vanilla pod and scrape out the seeds - add them to the pot with the sugar
• Remove from the heat and allow the ingredients to infuse together while you make the drop scones - if possible leave it somewhere which will retain the heat in the pan (like warming drawer, or warming plate on an Aga)

Drop Scones

Ingredients:

2 eggs, lightly beaten
100ml milk
25g caster sugar

25g butter, melted
125g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt

Sunflower oil or butter, for greasing

Method:

• Whisk the eggs, butter, and around 90ml of the milk, until thoroughly combined
• Put the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder into a bowl, an pour in the wet ingredients, gradually incorporating the dry ingredients.  Keep whisking until you achieve a smooth, but thick dropping-consistency batter.  If the batter is too thick, incorporate a little more milk, until the correct consistency is achieved.  
• Heat a flat griddle pan, and drop the batter in blobs from a spoon.  The mixture will spread out a little, so leave enough space between the scones.
• When the top surface of the drop scone begins to dry a little, and little bubbles begin to form and burst, flip the pancake over, and cook for a further thirty seconds.

Serve the pancakes with the compote, and Crème fraîche on the side.  Delicious. The acidity in the blood-oranges will keep your taste-buds zinging for hours.