Mandarin Orange and Goji Berry Scones with Oolong Tea Cream

Cravings and inspiration are often stimulated by visual experiences. I was inspired to make a fig, ginger syrup and crushed pistachio pavlova after watching the pavlova challenge in the premiere episode of Masterchef season 2 last year.

It was the start of another new Masterchef season last Sunday. A scone challenge had many of us who are fans of this reality TV show rushed into the kitchen to make scones to sedate our cravings.

I like flavoured scones, especially with citrusy and fruity flavours. There are many great oriental flavours and ingredients that are fantastic for baking but are not being used frequently.

I took up the challenge to create this oriental flavoured scone recipe.

I firstly started with the imperial mandarins, which are in season. Mandarins are associated with Chinese New Year because "mandarin orange" in Cantonese has the same pronunciation as "gold" which signals prosperity. Hence, mandarins are plentiful in most Chinese households in Malaysia during Chinese New Year.

Goji berries (Wolfberries) are one of the ingredients that I have seen on the supermarket shelves in recent months. Chinese use these berries a lot in cooking, mainly in soups but also in a popular herbal chicken dish (药材雞), for the berries are believed to have medicinal value. My grandma used to tell her grandchildren to eat them for better eyesight.

We can't have scones without tea. I picked the subtle flavour of oolong tea to be infused into the cream to be served with the scones. All flavors work in harmony and I reckon it's a perfect recipe to be featured on Mother's Day.

Wishing all the wonderful mums out there a happy Mother's Day especially to my mum who is in London and my mother-in-law in Holland.

Mandarin Orange and Goji Berry Scones with Oolong Tea Cream
Makes 12

Ingredients

310 g plain flour
icing sugar
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp mandarin zest
30 g Goji berries
1 cup (250 ml) buttermilk
30 g butter, melted

Oonlong Tea Cream:
200 ml pure cream
10 g Oolong tea leaves

Method

1. To make Oolong Tea Cream: Infuse the oolong tea leaves in the cold single cream overnight. Strain the oolong tea-infused cream, lightly whip before serving.
2. Preheat the oven to 220C. Sift the icing sugar, flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Add the Goji berries and mandarin zest and stir to combine.
3. Add the buttermilk and butter and stir with a knife to combine. Knead quickly and lightly until smooth and then press out on a floured surface to about 3cm thick.
4. Use a cutter or glass to cut 5 cm rounds. Place close together on a greased baking tray. Gather the scraps together, knead again and cut out more rounds.
5. Bake for about 10 minutes until puffed and golden. Serve with Oonlong tea cream and jam.