These traditional scones, laden with dried currants and a dash of warming nutmeg, provide a perfectly sweet and well-rounded bake to commence teatime.
Nutmeg-Currant Scones with Vanilla-Chai Whipped Cream
Serves: 12
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ cup dried currants
- ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 1¼ cups cold heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 teaspoons sparkling sugar Vanilla-Chai Whipped Cream (recipe follows)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, nutmeg, salt, and currants. Using a pastry blender or 2 forks, cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- In a small bowl, stir together cream and vanilla extract. Using a fork, stir cream mixture into flour mixture just until a shaggy dough begins to form. Working gently, bring mixture together with hands until a dough forms. (If mixture seems dry and dough won’t come together, add more cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it does.)
- Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface, and knead gently until smooth by patting dough and folding it in half 3 to 4 times. Using a rolling pin, roll out dough to a ¾-inch thickness. Using a fluted 2¼-inch round cutter dipped in flour, cut as many scones as possible from dough without twisting cutter, rerolling scraps as necessary. Place scones 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheet. Freeze until firm, approximately 15 minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk together egg and 1 tablespoon water to create an egg wash. Brush tops of scones with egg wash. Sprinkle tops with sparkling sugar.
- Bake until scones are golden brown, 16 to 20 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes. Serve warm.
Vanilla-Chai Whipped Cream
Serves: 1¾ cups
This creamy, spiced condiment beautifully complements our Nutmeg-Currant Scones.
Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tea bags vanilla-chai black tea*
- 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, heat cream over medium-high heat until very hot but not boiling. Remove from heat; add tea bags. Cover and let steep for 15 minutes.
- Press tea bags with the back of a spoon into cream. Remove and discard tea bags. Cover and refrigerate cream until cold, 6 to 8 hours.
- In a medium bowl, beat together chilled cream and sugar with a mixer at high speed until soft peaks form. Use immediately, or cover, refrigerate, and serve within 2 hours.
Notes
*We used Bigelow Tea Vanilla Chai Black Tea.
