Scones of many persuasions have become commonplace in cafés, farmers’ markets, and tea and coffee shops, and they are impossible to resist, especially when still warm just out of the oven. These scones are not too sweet and deliciously studded with dried fruit or crystallized ginger. Eat them while they’re hot and falling apart with butter and jam dripping over the edges.
Yields 8 scones
Prep time: 15 to 20 minutes
Baking time: 25 to 30 minutes
Oil, for the baking sheet
½ cup dried currants
¼ cup sherry
¼ cup orange juice (or omit the sherry and use ½ cup orange juice)
2 cups unbleached white all-purpose flour (you can substitute up to 1 cup with whole wheat flour)
3 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
1 large egg
1 cup less 2 tablespoons buttermilk
¼ cup milk, for brushing
A little sugar, for sprinkling
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Oil a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper.
In a small saucepan heat the currants, sherry, and orange juice until hot but not boiling. Set aside to soak.
Sift the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda into a large bowl. Cut the butter into small pieces and, using your fingers or a pastry cutter, rub the butter into the flour mixture until crumbly. Drain the currants and stir them into the flour mixture. Beat the egg and add to the buttermilk. Stir the buttermilk-egg mixture into the flour until just incorporated and you have a soft dough.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured cutting board or countertop and pat it into a circle ¾ to 1 inch thick and about 7 inches in diameter. Cut the circle of dough into 8 pie-shaped pieces. Lift each wedge up with a spatula, and arrange on the baking sheet.
Brush the tops of the scones with milk and sprinkle with a little sugar.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until light brown and crisp around the edges. The scones should break open easily and be soft and mottled with small holes throughout.
Serve the scones with butter, marmalade, or jam.
Follow the directions above, omitting the currants, sherry, and orange juice. Increase the buttermilk to 1 cup. Add ½ cup chopped crystallized ginger and about 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger to the buttermilk and egg mixture before stirring it into the flour.
Just-baked scones in the morning make us very happy. Serve Traditional English Scones with Herbed Baked Eggs in a Ramekin, and Ginger Scones with Tomato-Sesame Tofu Scramble. Serve scones for high tea along with Watercress Toast and Radish and Herbed Chèvre Spread on rye bread.