Buttery whole wheat scones with currants
If you have a food processor, you can pop these buttery whole wheat scones with currants into the oven in just ten minutes.
Set them piping hot on the brunch table. Nosh them with your weekend coffee. Serve leftovers--if you have any--with a savory butternut squash soup on a crisp autumn day.
With whole wheat, you pack a lot of healthy home baked goodness into a weekend or holiday treat, and in far less time than it would take to run to the local bakery, stand in line, and bring home a bag of (not so healthy) pastries.
Lovely and rich as they are, these scones are also wonderful sliced open, with a smidgen more butter melting over, and a trickle of honey or homemade jam.
Oh, and if you're lucky enough to have some left over the next day, as I am the day after making that batch up there, pop them in the toaster oven for a quick warmup. We are "mmmmmm-mmmmm"-ing all over again--crispy on the outside, moist and tender on the inside, and oh-so-tasty.
Whole wheat baker's tip
For fluffiest biscuits, before measuring, whisk the whole wheat flour with a fork in its canister, then spoon into the measuring cup
Variations on this theme
Variation 1: For added protein and richness, add 3/4 C grated sharp cheddar cheese and mix well before adding the liquid ingredients.
Variation 2: For a special Christmas morning brunch treat, substitute whole dried cranberries for the currants, add the zest of one orange to the dry ingredients, and replace part of the milk/yogurt with the fresh squeezed juice of one orange.
Variation 2: For a fruitier scone, add 1 t ground cinnamon to the dry mixture, and replace the currants with one whole apple, chopped, 3/4 C dried cranberries, and 3/4 C grated cheese.
Variation 3: To make these scones vegan, substitute 1/2 C raw, cold-pressed coconut oil for the butter and 1 C organic coconut milk (homemade if you make your own) for the milk or yogurt.
Ingredients
- 2 C Whole wheat flour
- 1-1/2 t Baking powder
- 2 t Turbinado sugar
- 1/2 t Sea salt
- 1/2 C Cold unsalted butter
- 3/4 C Dried currants
- 1 C Minus 1 T Whole milk or fresh yogurt
- 1 Egg white Mixed with 1 T filtered water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450F.
- Place chopping blade in food processor and add dry ingredients in order given. Pulse to mix.
- Dice the butter into 1/2-inch cubes, add to mixture and process until largest pieces are the size of a large pea, less than 30 seconds.
- Pour mixture into a mixing bowl and stir in the currants until well distributed.
- Make a well in the center, and add the milk or yogurt.
- Combine quickly until just moistened. Mixture will be fairly wet for a quick-bread dough. Dump all at once onto flour-dusted parchment paper or well-floured board.
- Quickly bring the dough into a round and pat flat, to about 1" in height. For most tender scones, work the dough as little as possible.
- Cut into triangles with a bench knife and place on parchment- or Silpat-lined baking sheet.
- Lightly whisk egg white with 1 tablespoon cold water.
- Brush tops and sides of each scone with the egg mixture.
- Pop into the oven for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown on top but still slightly soft to touch. Do not over-bake. Scones will continue baking after you remove them from the oven.
- Remove from oven, leaving scones on tray, and cool over wire rack five minutes.
- Lift to rack to continue cooling. Better still, serve immediately, just as they are. You can smear with butter, honey or homemade jam, but you don't really need it.
