Date and Orange Scones - Takakau Teiti me te Ārani

A light and fluffy date and orange scone with a cinnamon sugar topping. Served with the option of a sweetened whipped brown butter.

Keyword aotearoa recipes, best cheese scones, Best Cheese Scones NZ, best date and orange scones, best date and orange scones nz, best date recipes, best date recipes nz, best date scone recipe, best date scone recipe nz, best scone recipe, best scone recipe nz, date and orange scones, date and orange scones nz, date biscuits, date biscuits nz, date recipes, date recipes nz, date scone recipe, date scone recipe nz, date scones with cinnamon sugar, date scones with cinnamon sugar nz, maori, maori baking, maori food, maori kai, maori recipes, scone recipe ideas, scone recipe ideas nz, spiced date biscuit recipe, spiced date biscuit recipe nz, spices and date recipes, spices and date recipes nz, te reo, te reo baking, te reo Māori, te reo maori baking, whanaukai, whanaukai nz

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Servings Scones (takakau)

Ingredients

The Date Scones - Ngā Takakau Teiti

Kiri ārani (orange zest, of one orange)
¼ C (60 ml) wai ārani (orange juice, fresh)
1 ½ C (225 g) teiti (dates, pitted)
2 tbsp huka (sugar, I used caster sugar but normal or brown will work too)
½ tsp tote (salt, fine)
1 tsp wanira (vanilla)
3 C (450 g) puehu parāoa whakatipu (self-raising flour)
1 ¼ C (300 ml) kirīmi (cream)
¼ C (60 ml) miraka (milk)

The Cinnamon Sugar Topping - Te Paparanga Huka Hinamona

15 g pata (butter)
1 tbsp huka (sugar, any will work)
½ tsp hinamona (cinnamon)

Instructions

The Date Scones - Ngā Takakau Teiti

Pre-heat the oven to 200 °C.
Line a 25 x 30 cm tray with baking paper.
Grate the kiri ārani (orange zest) in to a heat proof bowl or a small pot.
Add in the fresh wai ārani (orange juice).
Using a pair of scissors, cut the teiti (dates) in to small pieces, adding them to the orange mixture. Whakaranuhia - mix to combine.
Heat in the microwave on high for 45 seconds or heat it on the stove for a couple of minutes over medium heat, just until steamy. Remove it from the heat.
Add the huka (sugar), tote (salt) and wanira (vanilla) in to the date mixture. Stir again.
Add the puehu parāoa whakatipu (self-raising flour) in to a large bowl.
Make a well in the centre and pour in the kirīmi (cream), miraka (milk) and ranunga teiti (date mixture). Gently mix it until the dough is roughly combined.
Tip it on to a bench and gently knead the mixture until all the ingredients are incorporated. Don't knead it for too long as it will cause your scones to be tough, as soon as the ingredients are combined, stop kneading.
Using your hands, pat the dough out to a circle that is around 2.5 cm - 3 cm thick. Using a 7 cm cutter, cut out 9 takakau (scones). I have tried making 12 out of this recipe, don't do it! 9 is the perfect amount for tall, fluffy scones.
Use all of the scraps of dough to make up the last few scones by gently squishing it together and cutting them out.
Place the 9 takakau teiti (date scones) on to the prepared tray.
Space the scones out with only a 2 cm gap in between each one. This will allow them to rise nice and tall in the oven.

The Cinnamon Sugar Topping - Te Paparanga Huka Hinamona

Melt the pata (butter) and brush it on top of each takakau (scone).
Combine the huka (sugar) and hinamona (cinnamon) in a small jar, stir and sprinkle over the scones.
Bake the scones in the oven for 18 - 20 minutes until golden brown.
These are best eaten warm from the oven.
I served these with my Whipped Brown Butter, my Whipped Vanilla Butter or whipped cream and tiamu (jam).
If you have any left over, pre-cut them and freeze them in a plastic bag. Toast them as you wish.