Preheat your oven to 425°F. While it heats, dice the dried apricots into 1/4-inch pieces—this small, uniform size ensures they distribute evenly throughout the scones and bake through properly. Measure out all your dry ingredients and cut the cold butter into small cubes; keeping the butter cold is essential for creating those tender, flaky layers that make great scones.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the cold butter cubes and use a pastry cutter, two knives, or your fingertips to work the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining. This technique creates pockets of steam during baking that give scones their characteristic tender crumb. I find using my fingertips gives me the best control over texture—you want some visible butter pieces, not a fully homogeneous mixture.

In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, vanilla extract, and orange zest. Pour this wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined—overmixing develops gluten and makes tough scones. Fold in the diced apricots, distributing them evenly throughout the dough. The dough should be shaggy and slightly sticky; if it feels too wet, add a tablespoon more flour.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently shape it into an 8-inch circle about 3/4-inch thick, handling it as little as possible—minimal kneading keeps the scones tender. Using a sharp knife, cut the circle into 8 wedges like a pie, then transfer them to a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them 2 inches apart to allow steam to circulate. I like to brush each scone lightly with milk and sprinkle with coarse sugar for a beautiful, sparkly finish that adds pleasant crunch.

Bake the scones at 425°F for 14-16 minutes, until they're lightly golden on the tops and edges. The scones are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely—this brief rest helps them set while they're still warm.

Once the scones have cooled completely, melt the white candy melts in the microwave using 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval to ensure smooth, even melting without scorching. Drizzle or spread the melted candy over the cooled scones. If the candy begins to set while you're working, microwave it in 10-second bursts to restore fluidity.