Last night I was ravaged by ambition (read: blahness) and decided that work and the world in general would be better if I brought in freshly-baked scones the following morning.  Scones are actually ridiculously quick and easy to make, especially if you have a food processor to cut in the butter for you, and because a basic dough can be changed up based on your mood, they’re also incredibly versatile. I happened to have some dried currants to hand (recipe follows).

Lemony Currant Scones
Makes 8 scones.

This recipe is based on one I found Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook.

2 1/4 c all-purpose flour
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 stick unsalted butter, diced and kept very cold
3/4 c dried currants
1 tbsp freshly grated lemon zest
1 c heavy cream
1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp heavy cream

Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the bowl of a food processor and pulse once to combine.  Add the chilled, diced butter to the bowl and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal like grated Parmesan with some bits the size of small peas.  Remove to a bowl and fold in currants and lemon zest.

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour the cream into it.  Slowly gather the flour up over the liquid, combining gently with your hands until the mixture comes together into a dough.  If it is very dry, add more cream 1 tsp at a time.

Turn out the dough onto a floured service and, using the palms of your hands and working quickly, shape the dough into a 1-inch thick rectangle, about 7″x4″ (it doesn’t need to be exact).  Use a sharp knife or a pastry wheel to cut the rectangle into 8 triangles, and place the triangles on a baking sheet lined with silpat or parchment paper.  Wrap tightly in plastic and place in the freezer for several hours or ideally overnight.

The next morning, while you’re being multitasky, preheat the oven to 375 F.  Beat the egg with 1 tbsp of cream and brush the top of the scones with eggwash.  Sprinkle with sugar, and bake for 30 minutes while you shower and get ready, until the tops are just beginning to brown in spots and the bottoms are golden brown.  Throw in a bowl, cover with tea towel, and take to work.  Serve warm and collect praise for being wonderful.