Currant Cream Scones

By ltrodrigu

Candied ginger, pistachios and almonds all make tasty substitutes for the currants called for in this recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup sugar, plus 2-3 tablespoons for sprinkling
• 1 1/3 cups dried currants
• 1 cup heavy cream, cold
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Over a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt and 1/3 cup sugar. Stir in currants. Add heavy cream to bowl and use an electric mixer to blend on low until ingredients are just combined.

Dump dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead very briefly. Roll dough out to a 1-inch thickness. Use a 1- to 1½ -inch cookie or biscuit cutter to cut out scones. Place scones 1 inch apart on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Reroll dough scraps and repeat process until all dough has been used. (If you don't have a cookie or biscuit cutter, you can shape the dough into a rectangle 1 inch thick, then cut into 20 squares. Or you can divide the dough in half and roll out two 1-inch-thick circles, then cut them each into 10 equal wedges.)

Use a pastry brush to paint tops of scones with melted butter, then sprinkle with sugar. Place baking sheet in center of oven and bake until scones are golden, 12-15 minutes.

Let scones cool on a baking rack. Serve warm or at room temperature with butter and jam. (Scones can be stored in an airtight container up to 24 hours, or in the freezer up to 12 weeks.)