Brother Rick Curry shared this Holy Week recipe with The New York Times in 1994. These feathery sconelike biscuits are named for Spy Wednesday — the day the soldiers spied on Christ.
Ingredients
- ½ cup currants
- 1 package active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm water
- 4 cups flour
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chilled vegetable shortening, cut into bits
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ⅔ cup butter, melted and cooled
- Nutritional Information
Nutritional analysis per serving (40 servings)
117 calories; 6 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 14 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 1 gram protein; 8 milligrams cholesterol; 139 milligrams sodium
Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
About 40 biscuits
Preparation
- Place the currants in a dish, cover with hot water and set aside.
- Mix the yeast with the cup of warm water in a bowl, and set aside for 5 minutes, until frothy.
- Sift the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt together in a bowl. Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender until the mixture has the texture of coarse cornmeal. This can also be done in a food processor.
- Drain the currants, and mix them into the dough. Then, lightly stir in the yeast mixture and the buttermilk just until all the ingredients are moist. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead gently and briefly.
- Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll or pat the dough into a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Cut rounds with a 2 1/2-inch-diameter biscuit cutter. Scraps can be gently kneaded together and rolled and cut. Dip each cut biscuit into the melted butter; then, place them an inch apart on the parchment-lined baking sheets. Set aside to rise for 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bake about 15 minutes, until golden brown. Serve warm.
3 hours
Dining and Cooking