This is a recipe I originally posted on the Grain Mill Wagon Challenge. I can not tell you how much I love my Wondermill grain mill. Freshly ground wheat has a much better flavor than store bought. In interest of full disclosure, I did receive a grain mill and compensation for my posts on their site, but I am receiving nothing for telling you I love it on my own site. I used freshly milled soft white wheat in this recipe, but all-purpose flour should give you the same result. It just won’t have that freshly milled taste. I had already planned to make scones when I found these beautiful, fresh, red currants at my local grocery store. I have never cooked with them before, so I just had to try them! Like I expected, they were quite tart, so I knew I had to put them is something just a bit sweet, and the scones I was already planning to make were a perfect fit. Fresh red currants are typically a little difficult to find, so if you are not lucky enough to run across them, then substitute cranberries, which have a similar tartness. Sweeter berries, such as blueberries, would be good too.
Here is a photo of the berries before I put them in the scones. See why I couldn’t resist!
This recipe is one I adapted from the America’s Test Kitchen Cookbook via Smitten Kitchen. I added a bit more sugar than the original recipe because I was using fresh berries that were quite tart. And, the original recipe called for dried currants, and of course I used fresh ones.
When I make scones or biscuits, I always grate the butter first and then put it in the freezer for about twenty minutes, so that it is very cold. The butter already being in such small pieces allows you to work the dough less when cutting it in giving you a more tender scone or biscuit.
Fresh Red Currant Scones
Prep
Cook
Total
Yield 9
Ingredients
- 2 cups freshly milled soft white wheat flour or all-purpose flour plus a little more to flour your cutting board.
- 1 Tbsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 5 Tbsps. unsalted butter
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup fresh red currants or other berries
Instructions
- Grate the butter and set it in the freezer for approximately 20 minutes.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
- Cut butter into flour mixture using a pastry blender or a fork.
- Stir in berries.
- Stir in heavy cream. Be gentle. Some of the berries are going to get broken in this process, but it is nice if some can remain whole too.
- Pour dough out onto a lightly floured cutting board.
- Gathering up the loose pieces, press together until if forms a shaggy ball. Then press until about 1/2 inch thick. Cut with a round cutter. I used one 3 inches in diameter and ended up with 9 scones, but if you use a smaller cutter, you will get more.
- Bake for approximately 10 minutes or until golden.
- Let cool slightly before serving
I have never cooked with a red current before. They are beautiful though! Your scones look so delicous. Just the right amount of sweet and tart! I love scones and will pin yours for later.
Thanks for linking up to Foodie Friends Friday!
I’m going to use these plus the red rainbow cookies for a post I’m working on for Daily Dish! GREAT ideas!
I just made these scones for afternoon tea! I have two red currant bushes in my yard and searched Pinterest for a recipe. WOW! These scones are delish. I used a combination of locally milled whole wheat flour and organic unbleached flour. I substituted buttermilk/sour cream (in combination because I didn’t have enough of either and I had no cream…) and I added an egg (to stretch the sour cream a little bit farther as I didn’t have enough). I sprinkled the tops with a lime zest sugar and my family and afternoon visitors gobbled them down! Now I need to freeze some currants to be able to make these in the fall. I’m surprised by how cranberry like they taste in the scone! Thank you so much for this treat!
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I am so glad you liked them! We don’t have any growing here, and they are a rare occurrence at the stores, so we don’t get them often.
I just made your red currant scones recipe for breakfast, it was so delicious, thanks for sharing. I’ll made this again for sure.
So glad you liked them!