All content copyright Katrina Hall 2008 through 2025

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

drop scones with currants and buttermilk




Holy moly is it freezing!  I know the entire Eastern seaboard is basically in the same boat, but  boy, it is chilly.  Hard to believe yesterday was 40 degrees and raining, and wherever I went, the snow fog made driving pretty, but difficult.  Of course, we knew what would happen today as the arctic air moved in:  everything would turn to ice, and it did.

Blessedly, our plow people came early and sanded, but parts of it are still gleaming with slick spots, wherever you are, be careful.

When the windchill is -12,  the kitchen is my haven ( and warm, too).  As long as the power is on, I could putter there all day, and often do.

This morning I made those Irish scones I like so much, using currants instead of raisins and orange zest and juice instead of lemons, and savoring every bite as I looked out at the fields of snow , dipping the scones into our lovely local honey, or spreading on the Dundee's marmalade .  


Drop Scones with currants and buttermilk

Preheat oven to 375F
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.

6 T. cold unsalted butter, cut into tiny pieces or grated on a cheese grater
1/4 cup King Arthur whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
1 T. sugar
2 t. baking powder
good pinch of nutmeg
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1 cup buttermilk
1 T. fresh orange juice (to plump the currants)
1/2 cup dried currants
pinch kosher salt
sparkling sugar for the tops

Place the currants in a small microwave safe bowl with the orange juice - warming very briefly in the microwave and setting aside to plump.

Place flours, the tablespoon of sugar, and cold butter in your mixer bowl and mix briefly.  Add the baking powder, nutmeg, and orange zest and mix again.

Add the buttermilk and the plumped currants and orange juice to the mixture and mix until the dough just comes together.  It should not be a dry dough - add a little water, a tablespoon at a time, if you think it's too dry.  Do not overbeat !

Using a standard ice cream scoop, scoop batter onto baking sheet - this made 8 scones this morning.  Sprinkle with sparkling sugar or regular sugar and bake for between 20-25  minutes.  They should be very slightly golden and craggy looking.

Serve warm with butter, honey and marmalade - or your homemade preserves from summer! Remember summer?  Take care, all....



6 comments:

La Table De Nana said...

We are so alike in weather and lovin' scones!
And puttering in the kitchen..

Stay warm..and keep those recipes coming..
Tree is down..
Atmosphere is not the same..thank goodness there's a fire going..

katrina said...

Nana - my tree is still up! I love sitting on the sofa and looking at those twinkling lights. Small, lovely moments. Hoping for better weather - for both of us!

Donna C. said...

Sounds wonderfully warming, Kat.

katrina said...

With a nice cup of herb tea, very comforting, Donna. Cross fingers this very chilly weather will be gone in two days! Thanks for swinging by!

Karen (Back Road Journal) said...

The weather has been so crazy this year in New Hampshire…so cold and then rain this weekend. Your scones and a cup of hot tea would be a lovely way to start the morning.

katrina said...

Ah, Karen, I had hoped the cold would moderate a little more by now - and hoping we don't get more freezing rain. I was marooned in the house until the sanding guys showed up - our driveway was a sheet of ice and nothing to do but wait.... thanks for dropping by, and delighted you liked those scones!