Perfect Currant Scones
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Want to know a secret? We’re suckers for a good scone—but so often, they’re dry and crumbly or as hard as hockey pucks. These “perfect” currant scones—from Brian Levy’s new cookbook, Good & Sweet—live up to their name, with a tender crumb and just enough sweetness.
“Almost everything in this book involves an electric mixer or food processor,” he writes. “Sometimes it’s nice to just get your hands dirty, and scones—with their simple, scraggly dough—are one of those recipes that just feel right to do by hand.”
Excerpted from Good and Sweet Copyright © 2022 by Brian Levy. Published by Avery, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.
Ingredients
¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon (185g) buttermilk
1 large egg
3¾ cups (390g) all-purpose flour
Scant ½ teaspoon salt
1 stick (114g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 cup (145g) dried Zante currants
Heavy cream or melted butter, for brushing
Directions
1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat it to 425°F. Line a 13-by-18-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a liquid measuring cup, lightly whisk together the buttermilk and egg and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Drop the butter into the flour and rub it into the flour with your fingertips until it’s something like soft sand. Add the currants and toss to coat. Pour in the buttermilk-egg mixture and mix briefly with your hands or a wooden spoon or rubber spatula just until it comes together as a scraggly dough.
4. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and divide it into 2 equal pieces. Pat each of these 2 pieces into a ball and roll each ball out to a round 5½ inches in diameter and 1 inch thick. Slice each round into 6 wedges and transfer them to the baking sheet with at least 1 inch of space between them. Brush the top of each scone with heavy cream or melted butter.
5. Bake until puffed and golden, 15 to 18 minutes. Serve the scones as soon as you can, or let them cool to room temperature. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or split them, freeze them for up to 2 months and toast them when you’re ready.
240 calories
9g fat
35g carbs
5g protein
10g sugars