Scones with Dried Fruit

by Brenda Langton, Tastemaker in Residence

Scones are an easy morning treat. This recipe calls for currants, but any dried fruit will work. The dough is essentially biscuit dough and should be treated as gently as possible. Stir in the buttermilk until just mixed, and resist the temptation to add more liquid if the dough seems dry. You will be rewarded with a light, flaky scone. Enjoy! // makes 8 scones

Ingredients

1⁄3 cup currants

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour or 1 3⁄4 cups all-purpose flour and 1⁄4 cup whole wheat pastry flour 

1⁄3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda

1⁄4 teaspoon salt

1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon

1⁄2 cup cold unsalted butter

3⁄4 cup buttermilk

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

If the fruit seems really dry or hard, soak it in a little hot water while you assemble the rest of the ingredients. Drain well before adding the fruit to the dough.

Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl.

Cut the butter into small pieces. Add the butter to the dry ingredients, and cut it in with a pastry blender. (You can also do this in a food processor. Pulse until well incorpo- rated and then transfer the mixture to a bowl.)

Gently stir in the buttermilk and currants. The dough may seem dry. Do not be tempted to add more buttermilk. Turn the dough onto a floured surface. Place any flour that is left in the bottom of your bowl on top of the dough. Push the mixture together into a ball, gathering in any pieces that have fallen off. Gently push the dough into an 8-inch round. Cut the round in half, then into quarters, and then eighths. You should have 8 equal wedges.

Place the scones on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the scones are lightly browned. The scones are done if they bounce back when you push on the top.

Transfer the scones from the baking sheet to a cooling rack. Serve warm.