It’s April and Breakfast Club is back! These scones are an absolute delight. They’re easy to prepare in advance (always a HUGE plus), and if you make extras, you can keep them in the freezer for an easy breakfast when you’re busy.
Better yet? This recipe can be customized to include almost ANY fruit. Prefer blueberries? Sub them in (though I think those you could keep whole … since they’re smaller). Hate fruit? (What’s WRONG WITH YOU??!) Well, then use chocolate chips. And you can sub out almond extract for vanilla, or any other extract you might like.
And lemon curd? It’s a delight. One of my taste testers, unfamiliar with curd, asked me to describe it. I said it was citrus’ counterpart to berry jam, and it’s smooth and silky like a pudding, but much, much lighter. And it’s simply wonderful.
I must confess though, there are 2 things slightly not perfect with the scones I made (the recipes are correct, I assure you). First, I forgot to brush the scones with cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar. This didn’t really affect anything, except they didn’t get quite as brown (not a big deal). My second oops, which I now realize after reading the wonderful Marisa’s Food in Jars, is that I was not supposed to whisk the curd for 12-15 minutes, I should have been stirring it (whisking aerates the curd). This doesn’t affect the flavor, but my curd definitely has a light and airy appearance, unlike the perfectly creamy appearance it should have (my recipe instructions below instruct you to stir after the initial whisking of ingredients, so you’re all set.)
This is what happens when you have a pastry order, 2 sets of cookies you’re giving as gifts, and a cake order going out all the same week (and actually 3 of them go out TODAY!).
Now, when you pair these scones and the lemon curd together, you get the perfect mix of sweet and tart. And the scone’s crumb is truly delightful (you can thank the butter for that). What are you waiting for? Make this NOW!!!
Ingredients
Directions
Make your lemon curd ahead--it will keep for at least a week in the fridge.
In a large metal mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, yolks, sugar and zest.
Whisk in the juice.
Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water to make a bain marie and clip a candy thermometer to the side of the bowl.
Stir the curd continually for 12-15 minutes until it reaches roughly 178-180 degrees Fahrenheit on the thermometer.
Take the curd off the heat, and position a fine mesh sieve over a bowl.
Pour the curd through the sieve, using a flexible spatula to press it through, holding back the zest and any cooked egg. Discard.
Add the butter and stir until melted.
Let the curd cool and refrigerate until ready to serve. [Please note: this curd must be refrigerated ... it is not shelf stable].
For the scones, roughly chop your cranberries. [Note: if you buy fresh cranberries, just toss them in the freezer a day or 2 before you plan to bake the scones. This will make them easier to handle.]
Add the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the chopping blade. Pulse a few times to combine.
Add the butter and pulse for 12-15 times, until the butter is pea-sized.
Empty the contents of the food processor's bowl into a large mixing bowl. Add the cranberries and toss to combine.
Whisk the cream, egg and almond extract together in a 2-cup measuring cup. Pour into the flour/butter mixture.
Using a spatula, gradually fold the wet ingredients into the dry, turning the bowl as you fold.
When the dough begins to come together, switch over to a bowl scraper to really bring it together into a ball, kneading it a little bit.
Scatter some flour onto your work space and turn the dough out onto it. Pat it down into a 7-inch circle and cut into 8 triangles.
Place on a parchment paper-lined pan and freeze until solid, about 2 hours. Place in a plastic freezer bag, and the scones will keep for several weeks in the freezer.
When you're ready to bake the scones, heat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the scones on a parchment-lined pan, spread out so they're at least an inch or 2 apart.
Brush the scones with cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
Bake for 20-22 minutes, turning the pan halfway through. Enjoy warm with lemon curd or your favorite jam.
April 5, 2013 at 1:01 pm
It’s been a while since I’ve left a comment (my apologies!), but I had to drop in to let you know the scone/lemon curd is definitely in my top 3 CFP treats. Perfection!