Sweet Orange Thyme oil/butter

I have no pictures because this was really a rather ugly looking finished piece but it is something that anyone can change a combo on and do them selves and incorporate it into anything. I just got home from a LONG weekend in RI to see my grandpa (he is dying from a 6mm aneurysm in his heart, colon cancer and Alzheimer.) Its a very sad thing watching a loved one waste away so when I got home last night all I wanted was tea and some plain scones so I could just zone out. I love scones but I also love toppings for scones, I especially love clotted cream... But I wanted something different today on my scones I wanted something different but something I could make and not worry about. I used citrus and fresh herbs that I have on hand. I had an orange and a bunch of thyme. So I pulled out my mini deep frier and poured in 1/3 cup oil and let it warm up to less than
225 F <---- this is the lowest marked setting on my fryer it goes all the way to zero so I just let it sit at what I believed was 200 F. I zested the orange into the oil and added 7 tiny thyme leaves ( I wanted just a hint of thyme with this) and I let it sit and infuse with the heat for 35 minutes. It doesn't bubble or anything so it was very fragrant through the house. I shut off the fryer and poured the infusion into a mason jar that had 1/3 butter, 1/2 vanilla bean pod seeded, and 4 tbsp sugar in it and let it melt together and then I stuck it in the fridge. Using butter to infuse really leaves the question if it will brown and if it does that will add a nutty taste and I didn't want that. So I let the butter melt on its own with the hot oil and the let it solidify in the fridge. Before putting the mix in the fridge give it a taste see if you want to add more butter or sugar to yours. You could also play with lemon and thyme/basil/sage and use it as a wonderful infusion to pour on fish. There are alot of possibilities when making infusions with your deep fryer. Since it only cost $30 I don't mind goofing around with it even if it leaves flavors behind. My large deep fryer I do mind and that's for meat only.
I took my butter oil spread and used it on my cream scones and it was delicious outside with the 50F weather we have outside especially with hot tea. It feels like spring I needed a sweet and savory snack.
I hope some of you take this idea and try something at home as long as you keep the oil on a low heat and let it infuse slowly (You will be happy with the results and the house will smell great.