Currant Recipes

QUICK CURRANT SCONES

Steps:

• Pulse flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a food processor. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles oatmeal. Transfer to a bowl.
• Stir cream into flour mixture until just combined. Fold currants into dough. Transfer dough to a sheet of plastic wrap; fold to completely cover dough. Shape dough into a 1-inch thick disk and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon mat.
• Unwrap dough and cut into 8 wedges. Arrange wedges on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes.

MOM'S CURRANT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan; set aside.
• In a small saucepan, heat the cream over medium heat. Stir in molasses. In a medium bowl, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating to combine after each addition. Stir in the cream mixture, then the currants. Add the dry ingredients and beat to combine.
• Pour into prepared pan, and bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour 15 minutes.

CURRANT SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Cover currants with warm water in a bowl and set aside to moisten.
• Sift flour, baking powder, and baking soda in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment at low speed, mix white sugar and salt into the flour mixture. Add all the unsalted butter to the mixer bowl and mix on low speed until butter cubes reduce to the size of small peas, about 30 seconds.
• Drain currants and discard soaking water; mix currants, buttermilk, and lemon zest into the flour mixture on low speed just until the dough starts to hold together.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and gently shape into a rectangle 18 inches long, 5 inches wide, and 1 1/2 inches thick. Brush dough with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar crystals.
• Cut the dough in half crosswise with a sharp knife; cut each half into thirds, and cut each third diagonally to make 12 triangular-shaped scones. Place on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until scones are lightly golden brown, about 18 minutes. Eat warm.

RED CURRANT MUFFINS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and orange zest. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to the creamed mixture just until blended. Fold in currants. , Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to wire rack. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Serve warm.

CURRANT COOKIES

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine the butter and sugar. Use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to beat together until light and fluffy. Beat in the salt and vanilla until well mixed. Add the egg whites gradually, beating thoroughly after each addition to incorporate fully. Gently mix in the flour to create a smooth batter. Stir in the currants, distributing them evenly. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until the batter has firmed up and is easier to manipulate.
• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Use 2 demitasse spoons (or other small spoons) to shape the cookies. Scoop up about 1 teaspoon of batter with 1 spoon and slide it off with the other spoon onto the baking sheet. As you work, space the cookies about 2 inches apart. Do your best to create marble-sized mounds.
• Bake the cookies, 1 sheet at a time, for 12 to 13 minutes, or until the edges are brown and the centers are pale yellow. Remove from the oven and let cool on the pan for 5 minutes. Transfer the cookies to racks to finish cooling and crisping before serving. Store any left over cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.

CURRANT JELLY

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine currants with 1/3 cup water. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until fruit has broken down and released its juices, about 8 minutes. Mash the fruit mixture with a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon. Strain through a fine sieve into a large measuring cup, pressing on the solids to extract as much juice as possible. You should have about 4 cups juice. Discard solids.
• Place a small plate in the freezer. Return juice to clean saucepan; add sugar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer; cook, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. When teaspoon of jelly placed on chilled plate ripples if pushed with your finger, it is ready.
• Remove jelly from heat, and skim off any foam from surface. Ladle jelly into sterilized canning jars; wipe rims with a dishtowel. Seal tightly.
• Meanwhile, bring a stockpot of water to a boil over high heat. Using tongs, carefully place filled jars in boiling water, letting them sit 10 minutes. Remove; let cool. If center of jar lids give when pushed with finger, jars have not sealed properly. Jelly in sealed jars will keep up to 1 year. After opening, jelly will keep up to 2 months in the refrigerator.