Orange and Currant Scones

Saturday 6 January 2018





I am a real lover of scones.  They speak to my food loving heart on every level.  


Flakey and slightly sweet, ready to be spread with something you enjoy, or even all on their own, served with hot cups of tea, herbal or otherwise.  






They are as comfortable gracing the table on special occasions such as a High Tea as they are sitting on an afterschool tea plate for when you have those late afternoon munchies.








This recipe has been adapted from one I found in my recipe box, handwritten on a piece of paper, a long, long time ago.  I can't really tell you where it came from. 


There is no photo, just the recipe, penned in my lazy scrawl. I know that I only ever copied out recipes that were solidly appealing however and so I knew it had to be a winner.









There were several things about this recipe which called my name. First the amount of butter and way of incorporating it told me that these would be flaky  . . .  


and the use of an egg wash and sprinkle of brown sugar on the scones prior to baking sounded, well . . .  incredibly yummy! 









I have often sprinkled a bit of caster sugar on top or demerara sugar (turbinado sugar), but the brown sugar has a truly lovely effect.  


It kind of melts with the egg wash and makes a nice sugary crust.









Another thing that appealed was the use of fresh orange zest combined with tiny bejeweled black currants . . . 


the smell of the orange zest is amazing, both when you are putting them together and then again when they are baking!








The use of heavy cream and butter ensures a lovely flaky rise in the finished product . . .








They puffed up really nicely.  


You also don't need to use any cutters to cut them out, just a sharp knife, so there is no waste or re-rolling of scraps which also helps them to rise evenly.








The recipe recommends serving them warm and eating on the day.  


In all truth however, they are pretty tasty cold and yes, even the day after baking. (I had one for breakfast this morning.)








Todd enjoyed his split and spread with strawberry jam.  I enjoyed mine, just as it was.  No embellishments whatsoever.  These are fabulously tasty!









*Orange and Currant Scones*
Makes 12
 
 
Tender flaky scones studded with sticky dried currants and a hint of orange.  You may substitute chopped dried cranberries in an equal amount for the currants if you wish. 

420g plain flour (3 cups)
2 TBS sugar
1 TBS baking powder
the finely grated zest of one large orange
125g butter (1/2 cup), cut into bits
1 large free range egg, lightly beaten
240ml  double cream (1 cup, heavy cream)
150g dried currants (1 cup)
(Or the equivalent in another dried fruit, chopped to smaller sizes
ie-raisins, dried cranberries, etc.)
1 free range large egg, beaten together with 1/2 TBS water
2 TBS brown sugar to sprinkle






Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.  Line a baking tray with nonstick baking parchment.  Set aside.

Sift the flour into a bowl along with the sugar and baking powder.  Stir in the orange zest.  Drop in the butter an rub it in with your fingertips, using a snapping motion or using a pastry blender until you have a mixture resembling coarse bread crumbs.  (No piece of butter should be larger than a pea.)  



Make a well in the centre and add the cream and beaten egg.  Mix in with your hand until you have a shaggy type of dough.Tip onto a lightly flour surface and gently mix in the dried currants, kneading together just to incorporate the fruit.  


Pat out to a rectangle, roughly 3/4 inch thick and 9 by 12 inches in size. Make 3 cups down the length of the dough and 4 cuts crosswise, giving you 12 squares.  Place well spaced apart on the baking sheet.  Brush the tops with some of the beaten egg/water  mixture and sprinkle each with some brown sugar.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes, turning the baking sheet around halfway through the baking time, to evenly brown and cook.  Let stand on the baking sheet for several minutes before moving to a wire rack.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  Best if eaten within the first 24 hours.









The recipe does call for dried currants, but you could also use raisins if you wanted to or chopped dried cranberries.  I think the cranberries would work really well with the orange zest!  It's the weekend, why not bake something tasty today! Bon Appetit! 








14 comments

  1. I am a lover too..geesh Marie what kind of BP do you use? HIGH HIGH HIGH!!

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    1. They are incredible Monique! I use Clabber Girl! Been using it for years! I have to buy it from an American supply company over here in the UK at a premium price, but it’s worth it! Xo

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  2. Well, here we go with another to print out and try. These look delicious. It's hard to find currants here but sultanas might be nice or anything that would meld with the orange. Actually, it's the bready part that matters most on something like this -- getting it light and flaky. I'm such a brown sugar nut -- that sounds so good atop the egg wash! Thanks, Marie! ~ jeanie from Marmelade Gypsy

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    1. These are beautifully light and flaky Jeanie! Ahh Marmelade Gypsy! I’m getting your email updates! Just now made the connection! Xo

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  3. I'm making these today! I love scones and I have always sprinkled sugar on them but never brown sugar,, thats a great idea!!!!! Yummo!! Take care,,

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    1. It makes a lovely sweet crust Laurie! You are going to really enjoy these! Xo

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  4. I'm drinking a cup of tea right now and I'd love to have one of these yummy scones to go with it!

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    1. You'll have to bake them Carol! I know you would love them! xo

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  5. These were absolutely delicious, Marie. I made a batch yesterday, using currants and a few dried cranberries I had left over from Christmas. The scones were light and flakey and I really loved the addition of sugar on top (I've never done that before, but will be adopting it from now onwards). Another winner!

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    1. Thanks so much for taking the time to let us know Marie! I love that you have the confidence to make one of my recipes and then come back and tell us about your experience! That really makes my day! That sugar crusty top is a real winner for sure! xo

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    2. I'm always happy to try your recipes as I know from long experience that they work and are always delicious. I can't think of any of your recipes I've tried that did not work out. I think it is also helpful for anyone who visits the recipe to read feedback from someone who tried it. I know on most sites I often read feedback just to see if the recipes worked or if there were modifications that appealed to me (like you, I'm a tweaker!)

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    3. I like reading feedback on recipe sites also Marie, which is why I really appreciate your leaving feedback here! Oftimes it can make the difference between someone trying something that works or wasting a lot of expensive ingredients. However, I have discovered that when I leave negative feedback about certain recipes I have tried on certain sites, they delete my comments. To me that is so wrong! Perhaps my experience could help someone else. To me its not about numbers, its about people trying my recipes and their experiences in doing so, good or bad! xo

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  6. I don't agree with removing negative feedback as long as it is constructive (and I believe that yours would be). If someonme has had a problem I know it's maybe something I need to be aware of and make adjustments.

    The only things I've noticed occasionally here are typos which I email you about if they make a difference (though you'd think that people would guess that you don't need 34 cups of sugar in a cake and that just maybe it's actually 3/4 of a cup!). I sometimes write that I added this or that and if I had a problem I'd write about that because maybe you have an explanation that could help me and someone else when they make the dish.

    The recipe feedbacks that make me laugh are the ones where the dish is say a fish stew and they write that they are allergic to fish and could they substitute chicken/meat/tofu whatever. Why are they looking at a fish dish in the first place? Just search for a chicken stew - there are a million recipes out there!

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    1. LOL I know exactly what you mean Marie, or the ones where they totally change everything and then come back and complain that it didn't work out for them at all, like its YOUR fault! LOL People sometimes have a lot of cheek! I do need to be a better proof-reader sometimes! I am grateful for everyone's patience with me! xo

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