Currant Scones
Adapted from Baking Illustrated
From TOO MANY COOKS by Dana Bate
Yield: 8 scones
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 cup currants
3/4 cup cold heavy cream
1 large egg
Glaze:
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1 tablespoon sugar
Preheat oven to 425F. In a food processor, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt and pulse together until combined. Scatter the cold butter over the flour mixture and pulse about twelve times, until the mixture resembles coarse meal, with some slightly larger lumps (no larger than the size of a pea). Add the currants and pulse once, just to combine.
Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Measure the cream into a measuring cup, then add the egg and whisk together with a fork, until the mixture is uniform. Pour the cream into the flour-and-butter mixture and toss together with a fork, just until the dough begins to come together, about 30 seconds. Dump the dough and floury bits onto the counter and knead the dough just until it comes together in a slightly sticky ball, about 5-10 seconds.
Press dough into an 8-inch cake pan, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Using a knife or bench scraper, cut the dough into 8 wedges. Place wedges on an ungreased baking sheet. Brush the tops of the scones with the tablespoon of heavy cream, then sprinkle evenly with sugar. Bake in the center of the oven for 12-15 minutes, until the tops of the scones are lightly brown. Cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with jam and clotted cream!
“Bate’s writing is smart and compelling.” —Publishers Weekly
In this hilarious, insightful new novel from the author of A Second Bite at the Apple, a cookbook ghostwriter finds that she’s bitten off more than she can chew…
When Kelly Madigan is offered a job abroad right after reading a letter from her late mother urging her to take more risks, she sees it as a sign. Kelly’s new ghostwriting assignment means moving to London to work for Natasha Spencer–movie star, lifestyle guru, and wife of a promising English politician. As it turns out, Natasha is also selfish, mercurial, and unwilling to let any actual food past her perfect lips.
Still, in between testing dozens of kale burgers and developing the perfect chocolate mousse, Kelly is having adventures. Some are glamorous; others, like her attraction to her boss’s neglected husband, are veering out of control. Kelly knows there’s no foolproof recipe for a happy life. But how will she know if she’s gone too far in reaching for what she wants?
Praise for A Second Bite at the Apple
“In smart, crisp prose, Bate tells a winning story about food, love, and second chances…Great fun.” —Booklist
“Delicious! Dana Bate’s writing is smart, sparkling, and completely charming.” –Allie Larkin, author of Why Can’t I Be You
“A tasting menu of everything you want in foodie fiction…a lovingly flawed heroine you root for in her most cringe-worthy moments, a deeply rendered cast of supporting characters, and a roller-coaster plot that keeps you thrillingly engaged to the very end. Bate’s writing will always keep you hungry for more.” –Stacey Ballis, author of Out to Lunch
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