1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment (or use a Silpat mat). In a Cuisinart, briefly process flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to mix (alternatively, you could whisk by hand).

2. Add butter to flour mixture and process until it resembles coarse meal (again, you could do this by hand with a pastry cutter or two forks). Add buttermilk and currants. Stir to combine.

3. On a lightly floured surface (I use a cutting board for easy cleanup), roll out dough about 1 inch thick. Using a 2½ inch biscuit cutter, cut as many rounds as possible and place on baking sheet. Reroll scraps and continue cutting until all dough is used up. (It’s also cute to make heart-shaped scones with heart cookie cutters, or if you want to forego cookie cutters, you could roll the dough into a square or rectangle shape and cut triangle wedges with a knife.)

4. Lightly brush the top of each scone with egg; sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. Serve with butter and preserves on the side.

Image credit: Martha Stewart currant scones