Recipe: Perfect orange currant scones

With the arrival of grey weather, baking season is here.

Chef Caitlin Mark from H2 Rotisserie & Bar at Vancouver’s Westin Bayshore is here with a recipe for perfect orange currant scones.

Ingredients:

• 384g all Purpose Flour
• 49g white granulated sugar
• 19g baking powder
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 tsp orange zest (finely grated)
• ¾ Cup (170.25g) unsalted butter
• ¾ Cup cold 2% milk
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk (reserve whites)
• 85g – dried currants

Method

1. Preheat oven to 375F (350F if a newer convection oven)
2. Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl (either with a sifter or a whisk). Add the grated orange zest, add the cold butter and cut this into flour mixture using a pastry cutter, two forks or your fingertips, until no large pieces are visible and the mixture is a rough, crumbly texture. Use your hands to rub the mixture between your palms to flatten any butter pieces – this helps to make the scones flaky.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the milk, egg and egg yolk together. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the milk all at once. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to mix everything together just until it starts to come together but it is still rough and crumbly. Turn everything out onto a clean surface and sprinkle the currants over top. Use your hands to bring the dough together, and to flatten and fold the dough over a few times – this works the currants into the dough and helps build layers to promote flakiness.
4. Flatten the dough with your hands to be about 2.5 cm thick and use a 7.5 cm round cutter to cut out scones. Arrange these on a parchment lined baking tray, leaving 5 cm between them. Using a pastry brush, brush the tops of the scones with the egg white (sprinkle extra sugar on top if desired).
5. Bake the scones for about 18 minutes, until golden brown on the bottom and lightly browned on top. Cool the scones on a rack.

Find more Global BC recipes here