Buttermilk Currant Scones

   I woke up this morning craving cranberry almond scones.  I decided to bake myself some for breakfast... if, that is, you still consider it breakfast, having gotten up at 6 a.m. and it was now 11:00.  Point is, I wasn't going to rest until I ate a homemade scone.  When I reached into my cupboard for the dried cranberries, I pulled an empty jar from the shelf.  O.k... I'd have to redirect my craving.  I did have a full box of currants, so currant scones it was.  If at all possible, I like my currant scones with crème fraîche and strawberry preserves, but unfortunately, neither was in my refrigerator this morning.  They were pretty good, nonetheless.

                                 Buttermilk Currant Scones
                   adapted from a recipe in The New York Time Cookbook

• 2 cups unbleached flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup currants
• cinnamon, for dusting, optional
1.  Preheat the oven to 425˚F.
2.  Whisk the egg and buttermilk in a large mixing bowl.  Set aside.
3.  Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse several times.  Add the butter and pulse until butter is the size of peas.
4.  Combine the flour mixture with the egg and buttermilk.  Add the currants and stir, quickly and lightly, until no flour shows.  Flour your hands, and gently knead the mixture in the bowl, about 10-15 times.  Cut the dough in half, and place on a parchment or silpat-lined baking sheet.  With lightly floured hands, pat each halve into a disc about 1/2-inch thick.  Cut each disc into 4 wedges, and with the blade of the knife, move each wedge so the sides do not touch.  Sprinkle scones lightly with cinnamon.
5.  Bake on the middle rack of the oven for approximately 16 minutes, or until a deep golden brown.
6.  Remove from oven and place scones on a cooling rack.
7.  Serve scones with crème fraîche and strawberry preserves.