Orange Currant Scones

Scones are typically served with strawberry jam and clotted cream, but these Irish Orange Currant scones have a lovely schmear of Marmalade Butter and I'm here for it! 

Ingredients:

3/4 cup currants

1 orange, zested and juiced

2 1/4 cups flour

2 tsps baking powder 

1/2 tsp baking soda 

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup cold butter

3/4 cup buttermilk (or milk with 2 tsps vinegar added)

1 egg

Marmalade Butter:

8 tbsps soft butter

2 tbsps orange marmalade

2 tsps liquid honey 

Zest the orange into a bowl with the currants. Juice the orange and add water enough to measure 1 cup with the juice. Bring the juice/water to a boil in a small saucepan then pour over the currants and orange zest. Let soak for 30 minutes. Strain and set in fridge to cool. 

In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar together. Grate the cold butter over the dry mixture and stir to thoroughly coat all the butter. Fold in the cooled and drained currants.

Whisk milk and egg together. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the milk/egg in. Using a wooden spoon, mix to combine to a shaggy ball.

On a floured surface knead just until it comes together. Don't over-handle or the butter will start to melt and you don't want that. The bits of butter are what will give you the flaky scone layers.

Press, using your hands, to make a rectangle that's about 2/3" thick. Flour counter and hands and fold the dough in half, make a quarter turn and press out to 2/3" thick again, repeating the fold and turn 2 or 3 times. Flour a 2" round cutter. Press straight down, don't twist, again to preserve those precious flaky layers.

Lift the cut scones and place then nearly touching each other on a parchment lined baking sheet. Gather the cuttings, press together and form the rest of the scones. You should end up with 10-12 scones. Chill in fridge for 15 minutes.

Brush tops with milk and bake at 400°F for 18-20 minutes. 

Let cool 5 minutes.

While waiting for them to cool combine the marmalade butter ingredients so you'll be ready to slather it on!

Of course you can stick with tradition and have them with strawberry jam but....

Adapted from: Irish Soda Bread Scones thelemonapron.com

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