Pages

Monday, April 23, 2012

Currant Scones

The Currant Scones Recipe Serve these currant-studded scones straight from the oven, spread with butter or clotted cream.

Ingredients:
4 tbsp unsalted butter, chilled and diced,
plus extra for greasing
1 large egg yolk, for glazing
2⁄3 cup buttermilk, plus 1 tbsp for glazing
1 3⁄4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp baking soda
2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp currants

Method:
1 Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C), and grease a baking sheet with butter. Beat the egg yolk and the 1 tablespoon buttermilk together and set aside.

2 Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda into a bowl and add the sugar. Add the butter and rub the mixture with your fingertips until it forms fine crumbs. Stir in the currants. Pour in the buttermilk and quickly toss the mixture with a fork to form crumbs. Stir just until the crumbs hold together and form a dough.

3 Transfer the dough to a floured work surface. Cut it in half and pat each half into a 6in (15cm) round, about 1⁄2in (1cm) thick. With a sharp knife, cut each round into

4 wedges. Arrange the wedges about 2in (5cm) apart on the prepared baking sheet. Brush them with the glaze. 4 Bake the scones in the heated oven until lightly browned, 12–15 minutes. Leave for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

BAKER’S TIP:
One of the secrets to well-risen scones is in the way they are cut. It is best to use a sharp pastry cutter or knife, as here, preferably made of metal. They should be cut with a strong downward motion, and the cutter should not be twisted at all when cutting. This ensures a high, even rise when cooking.

Currant Scones
Currant Scones