Author Notes
Undoubtedly delicious, scones can be found in coffee shops everywhere, snuggled next to muffins and cinnamon rolls. However, I firmly believe not all scones are created equal. The best aren’t too dense or sweet or cake-y. The best are buttery, light, a bit flakey, and usually bear gifts of dried fruit. Though I’m not opposed to shaking things up on occasion and using, for example, dried cherries and dark chocolate, currants are still my favorite. This recipe is a mash up of recipes from a 1985 Detroit Institute of Arts Cook Book, A Visual Feast, and more recent Boston Globe article. The result is delicious and freezes very well. —kitchen victorious
Ingredients
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3 cups
all-purpose unbleached flour
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1 cup
whole wheat flour
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1 tablespoon
baking powder
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1 teaspoon
baking soda
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1/2 teaspoon
salt
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2/3 cup
sugar
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1 cup
butter (2 sticks), cut into cubes
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2
eggs
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1 cup
buttermilk (or whole milk soured with 1 tbsp. vinegar)
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1 cup
currants
Directions
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Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
First, I never have buttermilk, so I sour the milk. To do so, add about 1 tablespoon of white vinegar to a measuring cup and then fill with milk to reach 1 cup level. Place on top of stove to warm while you are getting rest of recipe together.
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In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients and then “cut in” butter using pastry blender until the butter is the size of small peas.
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Whisk eggs into the buttermilk and stir in the currants.
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Add liquid with currants to the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined. Once you have a large ball, cut it in half.
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Cover two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Place a ball of dough on each sheet, pressing dough down gently until you have a flattened circle about an inch high. Cut each dough circle into 8 equal-ish pieces (like a pizza). Separate the pieces so they have plenty of space to bake without touching.
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Put one baking sheet in oven and bake for 12-16 minutes. Place the other tray in freezer or fridge while it waits for its turn.
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Once cool, these scones freeze well and a brief stint in the microwave will have them ready to eat!
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