Scones
MAKES: 10 or more scones
TIME: 20 minutes
Real scones are just ultra-rich biscuits, with cream as the primary ingredient. Sure, you can use milk, but then they won’t be nearly as flaky and light. Substitute something from 12 Additions to Virtually Any Quick Bread, Muffin, Biscuit, or Scone for the currants or raisins if you like.
2 cups (about 9 ounces) all-purpose or cake flour, plus more as needed
1 scant teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons cold butter
3 eggs
3/4 cup cream
1/3 cup dried currants or raisins
Preheat the oven to 450В°F.
Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl or food processor, reserving 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Cut the butter into bits and either pulse it in the food processor (easier) or pick up a bit of the dry ingredients, rub them with the butter between your fingers, and drop them again. Make sure all the butter is thoroughly blended into the flour mixture before proceeding.
Beat 2 of the eggs with the cream; with a few swift strokes, combine with the dry ingredients. Fold in the currants. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it 10 times; no more. If it is very sticky, add a little flour, but very little; it should still stick to your hands a little.
Press the dough into a 3/4-inch-thick rectangle and cut into 2-inch rounds with a biscuit cutter or glass. Place the rounds on an ungreased baking sheet. Gently reshape the leftover dough and cut again; this recipe will produce 10 to 14 scones. Beat the remaining egg with 1 tablespoon of water and brush the top of each scone; sprinkle each with a little of the remaining sugar.
Bake for 7 to 9 minutes, or until the scones are a beautiful golden brown. These keep better than biscuits but should still be eaten the same day you make them.
