Biscuit-Like Scones with Currants or Dried Fruit
Biscuits always remind me of my childhood because my mom used to put biscuit toppings on everything.... bless her soul! So now when I want a biscuit-like scone fix in a hurry, these are the scones I make. The dough comes together quickly and baking them at high temperature with the rack in the upper-middle position results in a quick, high, golden brown, delicious treat. These can be made with or without dried fruit, but we like them best with little flecks of fruit colour. Chop the dried fruit small so that there is a morsel of fruit in every bite.
Equipment
- Food processor (optional)
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- â…“ cup sugar
- 2 tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 8 tbsp (½ cup)(4 oz) butter cut into ½-inch pieces softened
- ¾ cup dried currants or small chopped dried fruit
- 1 cup whole milk This ingredient is divided. You will have to use 2 tbsp of the milk mixed with the egg for brushing the top.
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and preheat your oven to 500°F. (You will reduce the temperature to 425°F when you put the scones in the oven.) Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until combined, about 5 pulses. Add butter and pulse until fully incorporated and mixture has no visible butter and the mixture just has very fine crumbs. (About 20 pulses.) Transfer mixture to large bowl and stir in the dried fruit.
- If you do not have a food processor, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until combined. Add the butter and cut with a pastry cutter until the butter is fully incorporated and the mixture has very fine crumbs with no visible butter.
- Whisk the milk and eggs together in a second bowl. Set aside 2 tablespoons of milk mixture.Â
- Add the remaining milk mixture to dry ingredients and, using a spoon or rubber spatula, combine the mixture until almost no dry bits of flour remain. Do not overmix.
- Transfer dough to well-floured surface and form into a ball. Using floured hands, knead the ball 25-30 times. Press gently to form a disk or square. Using a floured rolling pin, roll the disk or square so that it is 1 inch thick. If you formed a disk, use a floured 2 ½ inch round cutter and cut into biscuit rounds. If you formed a square then use a knife and cut into 9 squares. If you use a cutter make sure to re-coat the cutter with flour if it begins to stick. Arrange scones on a prepared sheet. If using a cutter, gather dough scraps, form into a ball, and knead gently until surface is smooth. Roll the dough to 1 inch thickness and cut out the remaining biscuit rounds. Discard remaining dough.
- Brush tops of scones with reserved milk mixture. Place the baking sheet in the oven. Reduce oven temperature to 425°F and bake scones until risen and golden brown, 12-14 minutes. Rotate the sheet halfway through baking time. Transfer scones to a wire rack and let cool for at least 10 minutes. Serve the scones warm or at room temperature.
Notes
These scones are great served warm with a dollop of the jam or jelly of the season.
Nutrition
Serving: 1sconeCalories: 192kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 6gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 341mgPotassium: 166mgFiber: 1gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 101IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 169mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!