Orange Currant Scones
These scones were a constant at the Chilmark Epicure stand at the West Tisbury Farmers Market in early 1990’s along with jars of homemade jam, brandied cherries, and vanilla bean peaches. The scones, in cellophane bags tied with raffia would be gone within an hour after opening.
This is an easy to make recipe that are a wonderful addition to the summer breakfast table. The procedure is the same as for biscuits – butter is cut into a dry mixture, then a liquid mixture of egg, cream, orange juice and orange rind is added to make a soft dough. Once the dough is rolled into a small rectangle, it is cut into triangles, brushed with egg wash, sprinkled with Demara sugar, and baked.
To facilitate baking in the morning, the dry mixture can be mixed the day before. Or it can be taken a step further by cutting the butter in and mixing in the currants. This mixture needs to be refrigerated overnight. Once baked, these scones freeze beautifully – reheat in foil in a 350°F oven.
Serve with good strawberry preserves, or truly indulge by spreading some clotted cream on top.
Orange Currant Scones
| Yield: 8 to 10 scones | # of Servings: 8 | Method: Biscuit | Difficulty: Easy |
Ingredients
2 cups (9.3 oz / 264 g) all-purpose flour
½ cup (1.75 oz / 49 g) granulated sugar
1 tbl (.50 oz / 14 g) baking powder1
¼ tsp salt
4 tbl (2 oz / 57 g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into pieces
½ cup (2.45 oz / 70 g) dried currants
1 egg, lightly beaten in small bowl
¼ cup (2 fl oz) heavy cream, more if necessary
1 tbl orange rind
¼ cup (2 fl oz) orange juice
1 egg, lightly beaten for egg wash
Turbinado sugar, as needed
Strawberry preserves, optional
Clotted cream, optional
Special tools and equipment needed:
- Pastry blender
- Half-sheet pan or large cookie sheet
- Parchment paper or silpat
- Pastry brush
Pre-recipe preparations:
- Grate and juice orange
- Preheat oven to 400°F
Directions
- Stir dry ingredients together in large mixing bowl.
- Using pastry blender or a fork, cut in the butter until small, pea-sized pieces. Mix in currants.
- In small bowl beat the egg. Add heavy cream, orange juice, and rind and whisk to combine.
- Make a well in the center, pour in the liquid mixture. Using your hands or a spatula, mix together just until it forms a dough. Add drops of heavy cream to moisten any dry spots.
- Scrape onto flour dusted counter, and knead two times just until cohesive dough.
- Pat or roll into an 8″ by 6″, one half-inch thick rectangle.
- Cut into 10 triangles. Evenly space on parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Brush with egg wash, sprinkle with brown turbinado sugar.
- Bake for approximately 10 to 11 minutes, until firm and lightly golden.
- Serve warm or at room temperature, with good preserves, jam, and clotted cream.
- Leftovers freeze beautifully in Ziploc bags. Reheat in350°F oven.
Notes:1 I suggest using aluminum-free baking powder. With items, such as scones and biscuits, with a significant amount of baking powder, it makes a big difference.
