Best English Currant Scones Recipes

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.

CREAM SCONES WITH CURRANTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Add the butter and work it into the flour mixture with your fingers or a pastry blender, until it resembles a coarse meal. Stir in zest and currants.
• In a small bowl, beat the egg and 4 tablespoons of the cream together with a fork. Add to the flour mixture and mix with your hands until the dough just comes together. (If the dough seems dry add the extra tablespoon of cream.) Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Pat the dough into a 6-inch round about 1-inch thick. Cut into 8 equal sized wedges. Space the scones evenly on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 12 to 15 minutes. Serve warm.

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 SCONES

Steps:

• 1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425°F. Line a half-sheet pan with parchment paper.
• 2. TO MAKE THE DOUGH BY HAND: Whisk the milk and 2 eggs together in a small bowl; set aside. Sift the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and nutmeg into a medium bowl. Add the butter and mix quickly to coat the butter with the flour mixture. Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour, scraping the butter off the blender as needed, until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs with some pea-size pieces of butter. Mix in the currants. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the milk mixture and mix just until the dough clumps together. TO USE A MIXER: Whisk the milk and 2 eggs together in a small bowl; set aside. Sift the dry ingredients together into the bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer. Add the butter. Attach the bowl to the mixer and fit with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until the mixture looks mealy with some pea-size bits of butter. Mix in the currants. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add the milk mixture, mixing just until the dough barely comes together.
• 3. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured work surface and sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of flour on top. Knead the dough a few times, just until it doesn't stick to the work surface. Do not overwork the dough. The surface will be floured, but the inside of the dough should remain on the wet side. Gently roll out the dough into a 3/4-inch-thick round.
• 4. Using a 2 1/2-inch fluted biscuit cutter, dipping the cutter into flour between cuts, cut out the scones (cut straight down and do not twist the cutter) and place 1 1/2 inches apart on the prepared half-sheet pan. To get the most biscuits out of the dough, cut out the scones close together in concentric circles. Gather up the dough scraps, knead very lightly, and repeat to cut out more scones. You should get two scones from the second batch of scraps. Brush the tops of the scones lightly with the beaten egg, being sure not to let the egg drip down the sides (which would inhibit a good rise).
• 5. Place the scones in the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 400°F. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool on the pan for a few minutes, then serve warm or cool completely.

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.

ORANGE-CURRANT SCONES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or baking mat, or use a nonstick pan.
• Toss dry ingredients and zest together in a large bowl. Using your fingertips or a pastry cutter, rub butter and flour mixture together just until butter pieces are the size of peas and covered with flour. Make a well in the center of the bowl and pour in egg and cream. Mix ingredients together by hand until a shaggy dough is formed.
• Turn out onto a floured surface and gently mix in currants, kneading dough and currants together just until incorporated.
• Pat dough into a 3/4- to 1-inch-thick rectangle. Cut rectangle in half lengthwise, then cut across into 8 or 12 smaller rectangles. Place them on the baking sheet, spaced out.
• Brush tops with egg wash and sprinkle with brown sugar (if using). Bake until light golden brown, about 22 minutes; rotate the pan front to back halfway through. Let scones cool slightly on the baking sheet. Serve warm or at room temperature. Eat within 24 hours.