Easy Currant Scones

One of my favorite ways to make a lazy weekend morning feel special is with scones. And these currant scones by Martha Stewart are simple in composition (without any forethought I had all the ingredients on hand) and are easy enough to whip up while everyone is still lolling around in jammies. I made these scones last weekend for company and they were a huge hit; light (um, seeming), flaky, and delicious. And everyone was happy to simply nibble these special treats alongside fresh fruit. Easy peasy.
Currant Scones

Unfortunately this recipe (from an old issue of Martha Stewart Living) was not in Martha’s online recipe database to link directly to. They end up looking just like this photo (credited to a different currant scone recipe); the process is very similar but the recipes are different. Below is the recipe I use.

4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 tablespoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1½ teaspoons salt

1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces (plus more for serving)

1¼ cups buttermilk (if you don’t have buttermilk, just add a splash of lemon juice to nearly the full quantity of milk and let it sit for 5 minutes; you’ll see the milk curdle a bit)

1 cup currants (or raisins or cranberries; if using cranberries, consider also adding some orange zest)

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/4 cup sanding or granulated sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment (or use a Silpat mat). In a Cuisinart, briefly process flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to mix (alternatively, you could whisk by hand).

2. Add butter to flour mixture and process until it resembles coarse meal (again, you could do this by hand with a pastry cutter or two forks). Add buttermilk and currants. Stir to combine.

3. On a lightly floured surface (I use a cutting board for easy cleanup), roll out dough about 1 inch thick. Using a 2½ inch biscuit cutter, cut as many rounds as possible and place on baking sheet. Reroll scraps and continue cutting until all dough is used up. (It’s also cute to make heart-shaped scones with heart cookie cutters, or if you want to forego cookie cutters, you could roll the dough into a square or rectangle shape and cut triangle wedges with a knife.)

4. Lightly brush the top of each scone with egg; sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. Serve with butter and preserves on the side.

Image credit: Martha Stewart currant scones