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Great Cream Scones with Currants
Nb persons: 0
Yield: Makes 8
Preparation time:
Total time:
Source: Cook's Illustrated Holiday Baking 2008
| The easiest and most reliable approach to mixing the butter into the dry ingredients is to use a food processor fitted with a metal blade, but they can be mixed by hand if desired. Resist the urge to eat the scones hot out of the oven. Letting them cool for at least 10 minutes firms them up and improves their texture. | |
| 2 c. | lower-protein all-purpose flour, such aws Gold Medal or Pillsbury |
| 3 Tb. | sugar |
| 1 Tb. | baking powder |
| 1/2 tsp. | table salt |
| 5 Tb. | cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4" pieces |
| 1/2 c. | currants |
| 1 c. | heavy cream |
1. Adjust oved rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Place flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in large bowl or workbowl of food processor fitted with metal blade. Whisk together or process with six 1-second pulses.
3. If making by hand, use 2 knives, pastry cutter, or fingertips and quickly cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal with few slightly larger butter lumps. If using food processor, remove cover and distribute butter evenly over dry ingredients. Cover and process with twelve 1-second pulses. Add currants and quickly mix in or pulse 1 more time. Transfer dough to large bowl.
4. Stir in heavy cream with rubber spatula or fork until dough begins to form, about 30 seconds.
5. Transfer dough and all dry flour bits to countertop and knead dough by hand just until it comes together into rough, slightly sticky ball, 5-10 seconds. Gently pat dough into 3/4" thick circle and, using bench scraper or chef's knife, cut dough into 8 wedges. Place wedges on ungreaed baking sheet.
6. Bake until scone tops are light brown, 12-15 minutes. Cool on wire rack for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
GLAZED SCONES: Follow recipe for Cream Scones with Currants, brushing tops with 1 Tb. heavy cream and then sprinkling them with 1 Tb. sugar just before baking.
CAKEY SCONES: An egg changes the texture and color and helps these scones stay fresher longer, up to 2 days in an airtight container. Follow recipe for Cream Scones with Currants, reducing butter to 4 Tb. and cream to 3/4 cup. Add 1 large egg, lightly beaten, to dough along with cream.
GINGER SCONES: Follow recipe for Cream Scones with Currants, substituting 1/2 c. chopped crystallized ginger for currants.
CRANBERRY-ORANGE SCONES: Follow recipe for Cream Scones with Currants, adding 1 tsp. grated orange zest with butter and substituting 3/4 c. dried cranberries for currants.
LEMON-BLUEBERRY SCONES: Mix the dough by hand after adding the blueberries to keep them plump and whole. Follow recipe for Cream Scones with Currants, adding 1 tsp. grated lemon zest with butter and substituting 1/2 c. fresh or frozen (not thawed) blueberries for currants.
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