Currant Scones
This is perhaps the most famous scone of all, which must be served with its equally famous costar, lemon curd.
INGREDIENTS | YIELDS 6–8 SCONES
- 1 egg
- ⅓ cup milk
- 1½ cups cake flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup dried currants
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, diced and well chilled
- ½ cup cream
- 1 cup granulated sugar
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Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and milk. Set aside. In a large bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar. Toss in currants.
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Cut the chilled butter into the dry ingredients, breaking it into small, pea-sized pieces with your fingertips or a pastry blender. Be sure not to mix too much. Butter and flour should create a dry, crumbly mixture, not a paste.
Make a well in the center of the flour-butter mixture, and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir gently until just moistened. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and fold it 7 or 8 times, until it holds together. (This is not kneading.)
Flatten the dough into a disk 1″ thick. Cut the disk into 6–8 wedges and place them on the prepared pan, evenly spaced.
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Brush scones generously with cream, and sprinkle with sugar. Rest 10 minutes before baking until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
Lemon Curd
This stovetop custard is easy to make, and can be used for pie and tart filling as well as scone topping. In a large saucepan combine 6 whole eggs, 5 egg yolks, 1¾ cups sugar, zest of 4 lemons, 1⅓ cups lemon juice, and 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter. Place over medium-high heat and cook, stirring constantly, until it becomes thick like sour cream. Strain immediately, cool, and chill before serving.
