This recipe comes from Chicago restaurant Robert Et Fils' pastry chef Cati Molnar. Before joining Robert Et Fils, Molnar worked at Chicago bakery Lost Larson, where she made pastries inspired by French classics and naturally leavened breads with flour from regional growers and millers.

Buttermilk Scones

Makes 12

Ingredients

  • 510 g (4 ¼ c) all purpose flour
  • 170 g (1 ¼ c) spelt flour
  • 100 g (1/2 c) sugar 
  • 1 TB baking powder
  • ¾ tsp baking soda
  • 1 ¼ tsp salt
  • 255 g (2 sticks + 2 TB) butter, cold
  • 1 ¼  c buttermilk
  • 100 g (3/4 c) currants
  • 1 small lemon zest and juice
  • 1 small orange zest and juice

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 f. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  2. Add the sugar, lemon zest, and orange zest to a large mixing bowl or stand mixer. Using your fingers or the paddle attachment, rub the zest into the sugar. Add the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the bowl. Stir for about 30 seconds to make sure everything is well combined. 
  3. Add the currants, lemon juice, and orange juice to a small saucepan or microwave safe bowl. Gently heat until warm, and set aside for the currants to soften while you start the dough.
  4. Cut the butter into ½” cubes and scatter them over the dry ingredients. If you are mixing by hand, use your fingers to work the butter into the dry ingredients by pressing the cubes into large, flat flakes. If you are using the mixer, pulse it on and off so you don’t break up the butter too much. You want to end up with a crumbly mixture that still has some medium-sized and some large flakes of butter visible.
  5. For the next step, I prefer to always mix by hand. Add the buttermilk, currants and citrus juice all at once. Mix gently, just until the dough forms big clumps. A few dry bits are fine. If the dough seems very dry, add another 1-2 TB of buttermilk, mixing well between each addition. 
  6. Dust your work surface with flour and turn the dough out onto it. Pat the dough into a rectangle about 1 1/2” thick. 
  7. At this point, you can give the dough an optional, quick fold, which will result in flakier scones. To do this, use your hands or a rolling pin, and gently press or roll the dough into a rectangle about 1/2” thick. Exact size does not matter. Fold each end of the dough over the center, like a business letter. If the dough sticks or cracks, just gently gather it up and press it back together. 
  8. Brush the top of the dough with melted butter. Sprinkle it evenly with coarse sugar (regular sugar will also work fine). Using a chef’s knife, cut the dough into 12 triangles. Transfer the triangles to the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the scones are browned, 25-35 minutes. Serve warm.
  9. *This dough also makes wonderful shortcake biscuits or topping for fruit cobbler

 

Formulation courtesy of Cati Molnar of Robert Et Fils