Recipe: O'Toole's Irish Cream Scones with Lemon Curd

O'TOOLE'S IRISH CREAM SCONES WITH LEMON CURD
From: Gina, Fla
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03-17-2000 -26 St. Patrick's Day Recipes

2 cups sifted flour (use a soft wheat flour, such as White Lily brand to achieve a better quality scone)
1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons sugar, divided use
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter, room temperature
2 eggs, at room temperature
1/3 to 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup dried currants or dried sweetened tart red cherries or cranberries or blueberries, or chopped dark or golden seedless raisins, or a combination
Creme Fraiche or Devonshire cream
Lemon curd (recipe follows)

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder and salt. With a pastry blender, cut in butter or shortening, until mixture resembles fine crumbs.

Beat one whole egg and one egg yolk, reserving one egg white for brushing tops of scones. Add beaten egg mixture, cream as needed and currants, etc, if desired to dry ingredients to form a soft dough, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened (mixture will be lumpy). Do not overmix.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently 5 to 6 times. Roll out or pat dough into a circle 1/2-inch thick. Beat remaining egg white slightly; brush top of dough circle with egg white and then sprinkle with remaining 2 teaspoons sugar. Cut dough into 12 equal-size wedge-shaped pieces, using a floured knife. Or, cut dough with a lightly floured 2 to 2 1/2-inch diameter biscuit cutter. transfer scones to an ungreased baking sheet and arrange about 1-inch apart.

Bake in a preheated hot oven (400 degrees F) for 15 minutes, or until done and golden brown. Serve hot or at room temperature with butter or thick Creme Fraiche and Lemon Curd, if desired.

LEMON CURD
Makes 1/2 cup

Good for spreading on scones, pound cake, muffins and biscuits.

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
4 egg yolks
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

In saucepan, combine all ingredients for the lemon curd except lemon peel. Stirring with wooden spoon, cook over lowest heat, being careful not to let mixture boil or yolks curdle. Cook until mixture coats back of a spoon. Pour into small bowl and stir in lemon peel. Allow to cool.