There isn’t much difference in baking time between convection and regular ovens when you bake scones, only 5 to 10 minutes. The difference is in the wonderful texture, moist tender crumb, and golden, delicate crust that you can expect from the convection oven.

　　

Ingredients

makes 8 scones

　　2 cups all-purpose flour

　　1/4 cup sugar

　　3 teaspoons baking powder

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold butter, cut into small pieces

　　1/2 cup currants

　　1 egg

　　1/2 cup heavy cream

　　1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest

　　

Step 1

Position the oven racks so that they are evenly spaced. Preheat the oven to convection bake at 350°F. Cover a rimless cookie sheet with parchment paper.

　　

Step 2

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse on/off until the mixture resembles pea-sized crumbs.

　　

Step 3

Transfer the dough to a large bowl, add the currants, and stir to mix. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, cream, and orange zest until blended and add to the flour mixture.

　　

Step 4

Stir with a fork until the dough makes moist clumps. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and press together with your hands until the dough comes together.

　　

Step 5

Place the dough on the cookie sheet and pat into an 8-inch round about 3/4 inch thick. Score into 8 equal-sized wedges using the straight edge of a knife, cutting all the way through the dough, but leaving the wedges in place.

　　

Step 6

Bake on the center rack until golden, 15 to 20 minutes.

　　

Lemon-Raisin Scones

Step 7

Substitute 1/2 cup golden raisins for the currants and 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest for the orange zest.

　　

Cranberry-Tangerine Scones

Step 8

Substitute 1/2 cup dried cranberries for the currants and 1 tablespoon freshly grated tangerine zest for the orange zest.

　　

Almond-Cardamom Scones

Step 9

Increase the sugar to 1/2 cup. Add 1 teaspoon ground cardamom to the flour mixture. Replace the currants with 1 cup chopped almonds. Shape and bake as directed.

　　From Cooking with Convection by Beatrice Ojankangas. Copyright (c) 2005 by Beatrice Ojankangas. Published by Broadway Books.Beatrice Ojakangas has written more than a dozen cookbooks, including Beatrice Ojakangas' Great Holiday Baking Book, Beatrice Ojakangas' Light and Easy Baking, Pot Pies, Quick Breads, Light Desserts, The Finnish Cookbook, and The Great Scandinavian Baking Book. Beatrice works as a consultant for Pillsbury and other major food companies, teaches cooking classes, and writes for various food magazines. She lives in Duluth, Minnesota.