3 cups flour, plus flour for kneading and shaping

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 cup cold butter (1 stick), cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 cup dried currants or chopped pecans, optional

1 egg

3/4 cup milk

1.) Preheat oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

2.) Mix the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in a food processor or a large mixing bowl. Cut in the butter until the mixture is uniformly crumbly. If a food processor was used to cut in the butter, move the mixture to a mixing bowl before adding the currants. Stir in currants or nuts if desired. 

3.) Beat egg with milk and add this all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until mixture comes together in a sticky mass. Transfer mixture to a floured work surface and knead briefly to form dough. 

4.) Divide dough in half and pat each half into a 5-inch circle. Cut each circle into six wedges and arrange the wedges on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake on the uppermost rack of the oven for 12 minutes or until golden brown.

5.) Move the scones to a basket lined with a clean linen towel and serve hot.