Classic Currant Scones Food

CURRANT SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Cover currants with warm water in a bowl and set aside to moisten.
• Sift flour, baking powder, and baking soda in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment at low speed, mix white sugar and salt into the flour mixture. Add all the unsalted butter to the mixer bowl and mix on low speed until butter cubes reduce to the size of small peas, about 30 seconds.
• Drain currants and discard soaking water; mix currants, buttermilk, and lemon zest into the flour mixture on low speed just until the dough starts to hold together.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and gently shape into a rectangle 18 inches long, 5 inches wide, and 1 1/2 inches thick. Brush dough with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar crystals.
• Cut the dough in half crosswise with a sharp knife; cut each half into thirds, and cut each third diagonally to make 12 triangular-shaped scones. Place on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until scones are lightly golden brown, about 18 minutes. Eat warm.

CLASSIC SCONES WITH JAM & CLOTTED CREAM

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Tip the self-raising flour into a large bowl with ¼ tsp salt and the baking powder, then mix.
• Add the butter, then rub in with your fingers until the mix looks like fine crumbs. Stir in the caster sugar.
• Put the milk into a jug and heat in the microwave for about 30 secs until warm, but not hot. Add the vanilla extract and a squeeze of lemon juice, then set aside for a moment.
• Put a baking tray in the oven. Make a well in the dry mix, then add the liquid and combine it quickly with a cutlery knife - it will seem pretty wet at first.
• Scatter some flour onto the work surface and tip the dough out. Dredge the dough and your hands with a little more flour, then fold the dough over 2-3 times until it's a little smoother. Pat into a round about 4cm deep. Take a 5cm cutter (smooth-edged cutters tend to cut more cleanly, giving a better rise) and dip it into some flour. Plunge into the dough, then repeat until you have four scones. You may need to press what's left of the dough back into a round to cut out another four.
• Brush the tops with a beaten egg, then carefully arrange on the hot baking tray. Bake for 10 mins until risen and golden on the top. Eat just warm or cold on the day of baking, generously topped with jam and clotted cream. If freezing, freeze once cool. Defrost, then put in a low oven (about 160C/140C fan/gas 3) for a few minutes to refresh.

CLASSIC CURRANT SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Whisk together flour, wheat germ, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in currants. Add cream, and stir just until combined.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Gently gather dough into a mound just until it holds together. Pat into an 8-inch circle about 1/2 inch thick. Cut into 8 wedges.
• Arrange wedges on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush tops with melted butter. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer scones to a wire rack, and let cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature with softened butter.

CLASSIC CURRANT SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Drain currants and pat dry. Into a large bowl sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add butter and blend with a pastry blender or your fingertips until it forms fine crumbs. Add currants and mix well.
• Add half-and-half, and stir with a fork just until it comes together and forms a dough. Turn out onto lightly floured work surface and knead for 1 minute. Roll out into a 3/4-inch thick round. Use a lightly floured 3-inch cookie or biscuit cutter to stamp out rounds. Pat together scraps and reroll. Place on a greased cookie sheet and brush tops with egg glaze. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until puffed and golden brown.

CURRANT SCONE MIX

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, milk powder, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add currants. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months. Yield: 2 batches (6 cups total)., To prepare scones: In a large bowl, combine 3 cups mix, egg and water until moistened. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead 5-6 times. Transfer to a greased baking sheet and pat into a 9-in. circle. Cut into eight wedges (do not separate). Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

CURRANT SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Using a pastry cutter or 2 forks, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Add the buttermilk and currants; stir to combine.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough about 1 inch thick. Using a 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter, cut out as many rounds as possible, and place on the prepared baking sheet. Reroll the scraps; continue cutting.
• Lightly brush the top of each scone with beaten egg; sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake until the biscuits are golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. Serve with butter and preserves on the side.
• MAKING SCONES
• The dough for scones, like that of biscuits, should be handled as little as possible. Cut out scones by pressing straight through the dough with a bench scraper (or with a biscuit cutter). Brush the tops with heavy cream or beaten egg, then sprinkle with sanding sugar so the scones glisten when they come out of the oven.

CLASSIC CURRANT SCONES

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven; preheat to 350°.
• Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, and currants on low speed for 10-15 seconds, or until combined.
• Scatter the butter over the top and beat on low speed for about 30 seconds, or until the butter is somewhat broken down and grape-size pieces are still visible.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, creme fraiche, and whole egg until thoroughly mixed.
• On low speed, pour the buttermilk mixture into the flour-butter mixture and beat for 20-30 seconds, or just until the dough comes together.
• There will still be a little loose flour mixture at the bottom of the bowl.
• Remove the bowl from the mixer stand.
• Gather and lift the dough with your hands and turn it over in the bowl, so that is starts to pick up the loose flour at the bottom.
• Turn over the dough several times until all of the loose flour is mixed inches.
• Dump the dough onto a baking sheet and pat it into an 8-inch circle about 1 inch thick.
• Brush the egg yolk evenly over the entire top of the dough circle.
• Sprinkle the sanding sugar evenly over the top, then cut the circle into 8 wedges, as if cutting a pizza.
• Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until the entire circle is golden brown.
• Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes, then cut into the prescored wedges and serve.
• The scones taste best on the day they are baked, but they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you keep them longer than 1 day, refresh them in a 300 degree oven for 4-5 minutes.

QUICK CURRANT SCONES

Steps:

• Pulse flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a food processor. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles oatmeal. Transfer to a bowl.
• Stir cream into flour mixture until just combined. Fold currants into dough. Transfer dough to a sheet of plastic wrap; fold to completely cover dough. Shape dough into a 1-inch thick disk and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon mat.
• Unwrap dough and cut into 8 wedges. Arrange wedges on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes.

CURRANT CREAM SCONES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400ºF.
• Cut butter into flour, sugar, baking powder and salt until mixture resembles fine crumbs.
• Stir in 1 egg, the currants and just enough half and half so dough leaves sides of bowl.
• Turn dough onto lightly floured surface.
• Knead lightly 10 times.
• Roll 1/2 inch thick.
• Cut dough into 2 1/4-inch circles with floured cutter.
• Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Brush with 1 egg.
• Bake until golden, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Immediately remove from cookie sheet.
• Yields 10 to 12 scones.

CURRANT SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly flour large baking sheet. Mix 3 cups flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add butter and rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles fine meal. Mix in currants. Mix in egg and enough buttermilk to form soft dough. Turn dough out onto floured surface. Pat dough into 3/4-inch-thick round. Cut out rounds, using 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter. Gather scraps, press together and pat out to 3/4-inch-thick round. Cut out additional rounds.
• Transfer scones to prepared baking sheet. Brush tops with milk. Bake until scones are golden brown and cooked through, about 18 minutes. Serve warm with butter or whipped cream and jam.