Traditional English Currant Scones Food

BEST BRITISH SCONES WITH CURRENTS

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 500F/260C.
• Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. Use a whisk to mix everything together.
• Cut cold butter in several pieces and add to the dry ingredients. Use your fingers to work the butter into the flour mixture until it looks like small crumbs.
• Add currants (or whatever you want to mix in) and mix with a spoon or spatula until well combined.
• In a small mixing bowl, whisk together milk and eggs. Add to flour a little at a time. Careful! You might not need the entire amount so don't dump it all in at once. Stir with a spoon or spatula until dough forms a ball.
• Knead dough several times on well-floured surface with well-floured hands until the surface of the dough is smooth and doesn't have any cracks.
• Press dough to 1 inch [25mm] thickness. Cut out scones using a round biscuit or scone cutter or a small jam jar or glass. You should get anywhere from 7 to 12 scones, depending on the size of your cutter.
• Transfer scones to a lined baking pan. Gather remaining dough into a ball, knead it together once or twice smooth, and again roll it out to 1 inch [25mm] thickness. Cut out the rest of your scones and transfer them to your baking sheet.
• Brush the top of the scones using what's left of the milk and egg mixture or whisk one additional egg with 1 tsp milk, cream or water in a small bowl. Brush on the tops of the scones.
• Turn oven down to 425 F/215C. Bake smaller scones for 10-12 minutes and large scones for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
• Cool on a wire rack.
• Serve warm or at room temperature with butter, clotted cream, whipped cream, lemon curd or jam. Enjoy!
• Scones are best eaten the day they're made but I've found they're ok the next day, too.

TRADITIONAL ENGLISH CURRANT SCONES

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F and line baking sheet with parchment paper or use Silpat baking mat.
• Measure out and sift the flour into a large bowl.
• Add baking powder, salt and sugar and mix to combine.
• Add in cubed butter. Use pastry blender to cut in butter. Continue until mixture resembles coarse meal.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 egg with milk.
• Add mixture to dry ingredients slowly. Mix to incorporate gently. Try not to over-knead the dough.
• If mixture still dry, add small amounts of milk until dough comes together.
• Separate half of the dough and form into large flat disc about 1 inch thick.
• Use a round biscuit cutter to cut rounds. Repeat with second half. Continue until all the dough has been used.
• Whisk second egg in separate bowl. Brush the tops of the scones with egg mixture before putting in oven.
• Bake approximately 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

TRADITIONAL SCONES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a small bowl, whisk egg and buttermilk until blended; add to crumb mixture just until moistened. , Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface; gently knead 10 times. Divide dough in half; pat each portion into a 5-in. circle. Cut each circle into six wedges. , Separate wedges and place 1 in. apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm, with jam if desired.

CURRANT SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 2 tablespoons sugar.
• With a pastry blender or two knives, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in currants. Make a well in center; add buttermilk and egg, and stir just until combined (do not overmix).
• Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface; knead 5 or 6 times. Pat into an 8-inch disk. With a floured 2 1/4-inch biscuit cutter, cut out rounds. Reroll and cut scraps once.
• Transfer to baking sheet, about 1 1/2 inches apart. Brush rounds with milk; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake until scones are golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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.

TRADITIONAL ENGLISH TEA TIME SCONES WITH JAM AND CREAM

Steps:

• Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder into a bowl and add the sugar and butter.
• Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
• Gradually mix in the egg and milk mixture to make a dough, saving any excess to glaze the tops of the scones. Add your fruit at this stage if using.
• Gently knead the dough on a lightly floured work surface until smooth.
• Roll out the dough to about 1/2" thick, then cut out 2" rounds with a plain or fluted cutter, kneading and re-rolling the dough until it is all used up.
• Arrange scones on baking sheets then brush tops with the milk and egg mixture.
• Bake in the oven at 230°C (450°F) mark 8 for 10 to 15 minutes, until well risen and lightly golden. Cool on a wire rack.
• Whip the fresh cream until stiff. Split the scones and fill with butter, jam and fresh cream.