Leo and Holly’s Apricot Orange Cream Scones

The very first Book Bites recipe will be Leo and Holly’s Apricot-Orange Cream Scones because I just couldn’t get enough of reading about those scones while those two fell in love. But before we get into the weights and measurements, I had to ask the author a few questions about what made her choose this food moment for her book.

Here’s what Jae had to say:

You always include some mention of food in your books, but the Apricot Orange Cream Scones in

Perfect Rhythm seemed to be a more important plot point than other food mentions. Why were

these scones so important to Holly and Leo?

I was raised by a grandmother whose love language was food, so I absolutely believe that food has

the power to bring people together.

In Perfect Rhythm, Leo and Holly start out thinking they have nothing in common. Leo is a rich pop

star from a world where “sex sells,” while Holly is an asexual small-town nurse.

Leo doesn’t want there to be any commonalities. She doesn’t want to find anything she likes about

life in her tiny hometown, Fair Oaks, not even its yummy baked treats…and certainly not Holly.

Their shared love for the scones gives them a starting point from where they realize that despite all

their differences, they also have a lot in common.

I think what grabbed me most about these scones and made me want to bake them was that they

sound so decadent in a way that a blueberry scone, for instance, wouldn’t be. Why apricot, orange,

and cream? Is it just a flavor combination you like or have you had a scone like that and couldn’t

get it out of your head?

I wanted it to be a type of scone that Leo—who has traveled the world—can’t easily get anywhere

else, so it couldn’t be something as common as a blueberry scone. It had to be something unique to

A Slice of Heaven, the local bakery. So I thought of a combination of flavors that sounded refreshing

since the book is set in small-town Missouri in summer.

There is a distinct difference between what I call American Coffee House scones and British tea

scones. American ones are usually sweeter and more cake-like, whereas the British variety are

more savory and usually slathered in clotted cream (a personal favorite). What’s your preferred

scone type? Is one of these generally more common in Germany or do you have your own scone

variety?

Can you believe I’ve never actually had a scone, neither the British nor the American variant? While

German bakeries are famous for their huge variety of offerings, scones aren’t typically among them.

You can find them in bakeries in bigger cities, and it’s usually the British version, but I haven’t had a

chance to try them yet. I’ve rarely met a carb I didn’t like, so I have a feeling I’d enjoy both varieties.

You can find Jae and links to buy all her books at her website