Irish scones with currants

Preheat the oven to 375.

Stir together all purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt.

Add cold butter and cut it into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter, two forks or the hands, leaving bits of butter running through.

Soak the currants in boiling water for about 20 minutes to rehydrate them.

Add the egg and milk; squeeze the excess water from the currants and add them all at once.

Mix until the shaggy dough comes together; do not add more milk, and work quickly so the butter does not soften.

Pull into a ball and roll out to about half an inch thick.

Cut rounds with a biscuit cutter and place on a baking sheet; regroup the scraps into a disc, dust with flour and re-roll until all the dough is used.

Brush the tops with a little milk and sprinkle lightly with sugar.

Bake 25 minutes.

Serve hot with butter and jam, or clotted cream.